Recap from 2013 SXSW Interactive
This month, representatives from CDMi attended the 2013 South by Southwest (SXSW) convention in Austin, Texas, where marketers, technology entrepreneurs, and developers came from around the world to learn about the latest trends in digital technology and innovation. This year featured over 1,000 interactive sessions with over 30 healthcare-focused sessions. You’ll find some real-time highlights here on our site, and key themes from this year’s conference below:
Evolving Technologies
As technology evolves, the way we interact with it is rapidly changing. While last year was all about using physical hardware to track your health and lifestyle (e.g. fit bit), this year was all about making our smartphones work harder to eliminate the need for additional hardware. One example is the hardware/software integration with the upcoming Samsung S4 .
Responsive Web Design (RWD) was a popular topic again this year. RWD has been widely adopted since last year, and many of the sessions were focused not on the need for RWD, but on sharing best practices on how to best design for it.
Connecting the Physical and Digital Worlds
The Internet as we know it has evolved, and “digital engagement” is no longer just limited to a computer or handheld device. Physical objects are now being developed that connect back to the Internet. Whether it be an umbrella that can detect when it is going to rain, to devices that attach to asthma inhalers to track usage, to wearable sensors that allow your HCP to see your progress in real-time, the line between our physical and digital worlds is now diminishing.
New Interfaces
The future of design will use the human body as the ultimate interface. Whether it’s intuitive gesture-based technology like Leap Motion, or Google Glass in which images are superimposed over what the user sees in real life, the future of brand engagement will be designing experiences in or around the body. These new interfaces also open the door to new opportunities for increased accessibility.
Maker Movement
Open source hardware and 3-D printing platforms are making the process of creating electronics more accessible. These technologies have an opportunity to revolutionize design and production, bringing ideas to life almost instantly. The opportunities for healthcare are endless.
We’re in the process of “road-showing” a live SXSW recap presentation. If you’re interested in hearing more about what we learned and experienced at this year’s SXSW, drop us a line.
