What is “Techorating?�

Today at the E4 AV Tour at Chicago’s Congress Plaza hotel Jonathan Brawn of Brawn Consulting answered that question. In the process he pushed integrators, consultants, resellers, and end users to expand their thinking about the role of AV—and the applicable budgets that can be drawn on to fund it. The class will be repeated at the E4 AV Tour in NYC on Oct. 27th.

“This is a new way of thinking about the use of AV as art and decoration as well as–or even instead of–information and communication,â€? Brawn says.

Primo example: the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, where AV in an integral part of the décor and style of the space. “In some cases, it has no purpose other than art,â€? Brawn explains in a detailed case study of how this came to be possible, both technically and in terms of end user buy in. The Cosmopolitan has bought all the way in–commissioning video artists such as Leo Villareal and hosting loaned works from the likes of Yoko Ono and TJ Wilcox. The hotel designers made media art a central concept and backed it up with the gear to drive the point home, both in the public spaces and in the rooms.

“The look and ambiance of this space would not have been possible five years ago,� Brawn continues. “But now a flatpanel display is inexpensive enough, comes in enough sizes and aesthetics to change the game. It can carry motion, animation, and you can switch it.�

Brawn also cites Christie’s MicoTiles—which have opened up creative options for designing a space dynamically to change depending on event, time of day, season, etc. “Trends in lighting are going this way as well,� Brawn said. “LEDs have helped quite a bit with this and we’re seeing indirect lighting that can be color controlled as in ‘Tomorrow I’m thinking purple’.�

Technology provides a way to draw people in and feel more entertained and dynamically engaged, Brawn explains. From there the opportunity to communicate also expands. “By integrating technology in a pervasive way into the space, you have a larger canvas and the opportunity to make more parts of it interactive in a more appealing way.�

This approach also changes the decision-making chain and potentially the financing of AV budgets. “People are spending money on decorating anyway, especially in a public space—think about how carefully furnished hospitality and retails spaces, it’s part of the branding and marketing.� Interior designers are starting to understand how to paint with light, or warping with projectors, and building those ideas into their designs and budgets.

“We’ve got to get a lot more comfortable working with architects and designers. We’re often an afterthought.� How to change that? Start bringing your technology to the table with these types of concepts identified—don’t just talk tech, talk about design, image, user experience. Build a strong presence in the architectural community, seek out interior designer partnerships, in order to get early access to business. “We want to get AV people comfortable with these concepts, because the future opportunity could be a simple as ending up in an elevator with the interior designer and not being tongue-tied. We can’t afford to be ignorant about this.�