Over the last few months, with work-from-home orders preventing in-person collaboration, we’re all more hungry for connection than ever.

Webinar attendance has spiked around the globe, and systems have crashed trying to handle the throngs of online attendees to first-time virtual events. With so many events going virtual and Zoom fatigue becoming the norm, we’re now seeing event organizers push past traditional 2D platforms such as On24, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom in an effort to provide fuller immersion and engagement.

Let’s see what is 3D immersive environment and how it can leverage your experience!

What is a 3D immersive virtual conference?

Danny Stefanic, CEO of MootUp, echoes this sentiment: “3D platforms put the audience at the center of the experience. They provide the ability to have those chance encounters and hallway meetings, and to drive social connection.”

When it comes to hybrid events, these platforms are also offering innovative solutions. It takes advantage of thousands of real-life venues that have been scanned and input into a virtual environment. This enables remote attendees at a hybrid event to virtually explore the exact venue where the in-person event is being held, leading to a more cohesive experience and facilitating the event design process for organizers.

Meanwhile, some platforms allow for 360-degree cameras to be set up at the in-person event so that virtual attendees can view the immersive live stream and look around the room as if they were in the audience.

Stefanic believes that this technology is a precursor to more immersive virtual reality experiences down the line:

“I’m a big believer in virtual reality, but it still has a long way to go. Our platform is kind of a bridge — it allows people to use the devices they have today while also allowing them to dip their toes into using virtual reality.”

Photo by Wow AI

How 3D makes memorable experiences

Traditional webinars are appropriate for some situations. Attendees typically view a live presenter, who may also use a slideshow to deliver information to a wide number of people. There may be some interaction through a chat window; attendees ask questions, and a moderator selects from them for a response from the presenter. These events have become commonplace but they lack the impact of a more immersive experience and fall short when it comes to disseminating complex and engaging information and concepts.

In contrast, an immersive 3D virtual event is interactive, with visually stimulating 3D graphics providing an environment they can explore and experiences that engage them. For example, an immersive 3D virtual event can mimic a real conference, where the user moves around the various areas of event space, all with live or recorded content and options to set up meetings or see 3D product demos.

1. Immersive 3D virtual events let users choose their own journeys

Traditional webinars create passive experiences; users primarily listen to content in a serial format. An immersive 3D virtual event allows attendees to wander between many parallel activities per their interests and priorities. Like attending a real-world event, they can choose when and where to go. Even better than a real-world event, the experience can be recorded, so users can continue to explore even after the live event has ended. While live interactions would be limited to the live event schedule, the experiences and content on an immersive event platform would continue to bring them value and allow a much wider audience to attend.

2. Immersive virtual events make a lasting impression

So why 3D? It’s all about creating those memorable experiences. Recent research has shown that users in virtual and 3D environments have improved learning outcomes and increased memory retention due to spatial presence. Embodying an avatar and engaging in a 3D world ignites areas of the brain typically reserved for physical encounters. It also allows for more self-expression through the ability to customize and animate avatars and peer-to-peer interaction.

3. Immersive virtual events facilitate networking and engagement

On traditional web meeting platforms, it works best when one person speaks at a time, making it difficult to network unless users want to do so in the chat box. But networking is one of the main reasons people attend events. Online event platforms give them exactly what they want through integrated communication systems like:

1. Chat rooms according to interests
2. One-on-one communication with exhibitors, sponsors, or other attendees
3. 3D product demos with live video, voice, or chat

And more

Attendees can go anywhere and choose to interact through video or chat. That means they can check out areas such as:

1. Keynote speeches
2. Breakout rooms
3. Networking lounges

and more! All with their peers!

Photo by Wow AI

Experience a 3D immersive environment at Worldwide AI Webinar

Worldwide AI Webinar is brought to you by Wow AI — a global provider of high-quality AI training data. With a view to gathering all the best AI researchers and practitioners and promoting a stronger network of AI and Machine Learning professionals around the world, Wow AI launched this must-attend Worldwide AI Webinar

Join our Worldwide AI Webinar!

🔸 Event details

Time zones: 9:00 AM — 6:00 PM New York Time

Date: 29–30 September 2022

Language: English

Fee: Free & open to everyone

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