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by PORT on Jun 15, 2022 12:31:38 PM
The United States has finally mostly returned to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic normal. However, one aspect of the “new normal” from 2020 and 2021 is sure to endure – virtual meetings and videoconferencing. Many businesses now understand that they can save money and operate at least as smoothly – if not more so! – with virtual gatherings. Consider the following:
- Remarkably, videoconferencing saw a 535% rise in daily traffic in 2020.
- 76% of employees use video conferencing for remote work.
- Nearly 79% of working professionals believe virtual meetings are equally or even more productive than in-person ones.
Although they became more popular than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual meetings and events have been around for a long time!
Videoconferencing has come a long way since 1927 when AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories created the first working TV communication complex. During that event, AT&T broadcast a live, moving image of then-Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover, from the White House to New York, where viewers in an auditorium were able to watch.
Although there were many milestones along the way, here are some of the key innovations:
- In 1959, Bell Telephone laboratories created a prototype of a video communication system. It was very slow – transmitting only one frame every two seconds.
- In 1969, AT&T introduced the Picturephone Mod II, an office video communication system that broadcast a much speedier 30 frames per second.
- In 1991, students at Cambridge University invented the first webcam, which provided a 129×129-pixel grayscale picture at one frame per second.
- Also in the early 1990s, a Cornell student wrote a program called CU-SeeMe, the first desktop video conferencing platform. It was released on Macintosh OS in 1992 and on Windows in 1994.
- In the 2000s, smartphones came onto the scene. In 2010, The iPhone 4 introduced Facetime.
- In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the massive videoconferencing and virtual meeting boom that is still in full swing today!
Moving forward
The videoconferencing-virtual meeting revolution is not expected to wane anytime soon. According to Transparency Market Research, global video conferencing is expected to grow from $6.1 billion in 2019 to $11.56 billion by the end of 2027.
New, innovative options for virtual events are allowing corporations, public agencies, schools, and other users even more ways to captivate virtual and live participants.
In the coming years, virtual corporate meetings and conferences will continue to allow companies to save money on travel costs while keeping employees and board members connected. At public agencies, cutting-edge virtual meetings allow leaders to increase community engagement by holding virtual town hall meetings or other events.
Because virtual events aren’t limited to boring ballroom curtains, you can completely customize your environment using innovative elements such as slides, graphics, augmented reality, and 3-D graphics to keep remote viewers engaged.
Hybrid events continue to allow some in-person attendees while others can participate virtually via a live-streamed video conferencing platform, so they can experience an immersive experience in real-time.
One of the most exciting developments is “virtual studios” that place people in virtual environments. Businesses can create “sets” in their conference rooms or travel to local providers who can set up studios and create realistic environments by projecting them on a screen. This allows real-time combinations of people and computer-generated environments.
PORT - Innovative Virtual Event Production
Port Lighting is one of the largest virtual production studios in New England with more than 10,000 square feet of studio space, two high-resolution video walls, green screen stages, and 4K broadcast capability.
We use PortLive, powered by the Ice 9 production hub to create engaging, state-of-the-art virtual events, incorporating exciting elements like live graphics and real shadows. You can even include participants from anywhere in the world and integrate them into your show or virtual event. The possibilities are endless! Contact us to find out what we can do for you!
- Theatrical Lighting Design/Specification
- Theatrical Lighting Installation
- Stage Curtain & Rigging Installation
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