(Pictured above: Live + Mixed Reality merges real and virtual worlds to produce environments where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact)
by Amadeus Finlay
As Texas continues to suffer under the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, SWX Global of Dallas has turned its attention to the needs of the local community by offering services designed to safely reinvigorate the economy.
“We are using our tools and resources to build a product called ‘Social Distance Barriers’ for use in restaurants, corporate offices and schools,” says Brian Cree, CEO of SWX Global. “2020 was supposed to be an exciting year for us. We had just launched ‘Build Your Own Booth’ [a tool where clients custom design their exhibit on personal or office computers] and undertaken a rebrand right before COVID hit. While it’s been hard, I am grateful for my team and how we’re able to help others.” The rebrand, announced in April, is designed to reflect the firm’s diverse and ever-expanding global range of services, and this latest move more than speaks to the SWX’s intentions for the future.
Speaking of the future, in New York City, mixed reality firm Live+ (Mixed Realty) is taking everything society ever thought it knew about existence and interaction, and turning it on its head. Pioneering the concept of mixed reality (MR), Live+ merges real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations, where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. This means safe, sleek, sanitary solutions in a world that is not only increasingly health-aware, but ever remote in its choice of workplace. Genius? Some might say.
The possibilities of MR in the tradeshow industry world—especially now with distancing and virtual dominating the scene—are endless and they will continue even when F2F returns. In the meantime, booths can have virtual attendees create avatars that can interact as if they are on site. Their website (www.liveplususa.com) has examples re-imagining how NBA fans and teams can experience the game of basketball with Together mode in Microsoft Teams. With more than 25 years experience in the tradeshow industry; LIVE!+ (MR) is one of the premier Mixed Reality solutions for event planners and exhibit builders having worked with companies including Nike, NASA, Google, Salesforce, Hulu, Reddit, Samsung and Apple.
Further south, pressure is mounting on Washington D.C. as the pandemic continues to detrimentally impact the tradeshow and event industry. Experiential Designers and Producers Association’s Chris Griffin has been petitioning industry professionals to demand that Congress include provisions to support tradeshow industry workers and their families.
“As Congress hammers out a compromise on the HEALS Act and the HEROES Act,” explains Griffin, “legislators will consider multiple provisions that directly impact our industry. Our voices have been loud and clear—we need support and we need it now. The goal of this action alert is to ask legislators to include specific provisions in any compromise deal,” he continues. “Our momentum has been strong, and we can’t let up!” Visit www.golivetogether.com, www.liveforlifec19.com or email info@edpa.com to find out how you can help.
Optima Graphics of Fenton, Missouri, has expanded its offering to include a number of pandemic-related safety and sanitary solutions. Dubbed the C19Go product range, clients can now benefit from customizable products that include branded sanitizer stations, floor directions and presentation lightboxes with additional solutions coming soon.
The Trade Group of Carrollton, Texas, has pivoted its model to manufacturing affordable PPE products designed specifically with schools in mind. Intended to safeguard students as well as educators, the line for schools and universities includes protective desk shields (pictured right), partition walls, sneeze guards, social distancing signage, as well as adult and children’s masks and hands-free hand sanitizer stations. Impressive, but it is not only the pandemic-related product line on the firm’s books. The Trade Group has been turning out a wide variety of safety and social distancing signage and banners since the pandemic hit earlier this year, using proprietary materials for the decals as well as the signage.
“The material is far more durable than traditional vinyl and adheres to most any surface, including stone, wood, metal and glass,” says Malcolm Gilvar, chief revenue officer. “What’s really nice is that it leaves no residue once removed, so it’s easy to relocate or replace the signage as needed.”
Upcoming stories in this series will feature companies and individuals who have risen to the occasion to build temporary medical facilities, masks and whatever is needed during the current crisis. If your company is going above and beyond to assist in this fight, please email us at newsdesk@exhibitcitynews.com and Amadeus at amadeus_finlay@hotmail.com for inclusion in future stories in this series.
