SXSW at the Austin Convention Center Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | Paris Smith
An unexpected stop at this year’s South by Southwest festival (SXSW®) in Austin rocked organized chaos within a few energized days. You could catch the conference and festival vibe just by walking along 6th Street and around the Austin Convention Center, which left me wishing I had planned ahead. But read on; all was not lost for this first-timer. What began in 1987 as a way to bring local bands together and gain recognition has morphed into an event that takes over most of Downtown Austin. SXSW Conference & Festivals is an internationally recognized interactive and educational event that features music, comedy, film, gaming, technology, live panels, special events, and much more. This year’s events took place from Friday, March 8 to Saturday, March 16, 2024, and the projected attendance was over 300,000 people, according to AustinTexas.org.
Yes, it was slightly overwhelming for a first-timer trying to figure out entry badges, wristbands, and SXXpress passes since day passes are not sold. Online blog tips and the official SXSW website were helpful with general information about schedules, costs, event descriptions, and what you can and cannot see for free. The Interactive exhibition is one of the premier destinations for innovation and discovery, next to CES in Las Vegas. The Interactive Expo was my priority, but it required a badge, either Platinum or separate Interactive. Walk-up prices were $2,095 and $1,695, respectively — definitely not in my budget. But wait, for all was not lost, thanks to an attendee who has been going to SXSW for almost ten years.
If students or early career visitors register ahead of the event, they can qualify for discount rates. This year, students received a 50% discount, first-year graduates received a 40% discount, and second-year graduates received a 30% discount. As I mentioned earlier, the walk-up rates were $2,095 for a Platinum Badge, which grants you primary access to all official conferences, festivals, tents, and more. The Interactive Badge was $1,695, the Film & TV Badge was $1,595, and a music wristband was $995. Badges get priority entrance to everything, followed by wristbands and the standing waitlist. If you can afford it, the music wristband is worth it since it allows you access to music and comedy. You do have to stand in line, but this proved to be a game-changer for us.
Remember the 10-year SXSW attendee? Well, his name was Joe, and he told us about the free expo day called Austin Industry Day at the Creative Industries Expo, an event that was open to the public! Stop by the exhibit hall and discover the most innovative companies, ideas, and thought leaders in the creative industries. Check the official SXSW website for that listing. Also, a very friendly security employee told us that next year is the last year SXSW will be held at the Austin Convention Center before demolition and construction begin on a new facility. He also speculated the event would be spread throughout Austin proper. Many thanks go out to Joe and Stacey for the free Interactive Expo day, to the event security employee for the news on the Convention Center construction schedule, and to all of the event volunteers who gave helpful tips while we stood in line.
SXSW CREATIVE INDUSTRIES EXPO (Interactive)
A group of people standing around a booth at NEC in UK | Jonny Gios on Unsplash
The Creative Industries Expo is the convergence of all industries on the cutting-edge of technology, design, social good, health and wellness, and more. SXSW spends the year searching for brands, services, and products that will take attendees into the 22nd century and beyond. Hundreds of exhibitors from across the globe meet under one roof to ignite passions, collaborate, and share groundbreaking discoveries.
MY TOP 5 SXSW CREATIVE INDUSTRIES EXPO PICKS
Miroka robot at SXSW Expo | Paris Smith
ENCHANTED TOOLS: Who doesn’t love an adorable robot? Miroka, along with Mirokaï and Miroki, is one of the robots designed by Enchanted Tools to help nurses carry and move equipment and medication within a hospital. Founded in 2021 by Jérôme Monceaux and located in the heart of Paris, the robots combine world-class engineering with charming animation and compelling storytelling to tackle concrete issues and repetitive tasks in health care, hospitality, travel, and other customer-centric industries, according to SXSW. The robots are built to overcome the challenges of modern robotics by adapting to the environment around them with advanced navigation and manipulation capabilities; they use artificial intelligence (AI) to accomplish this. The company’s mission is to enhance lives universally through the power of robotics. Visit their website at enchanted.tools to learn more.
Down-less Down Jacket prototype at SXSW | Paris Smith
SOLAMENT: To all the sustainable fashionistas: Solament’s revolutionary solar-smart material prototypes are your groundbreaking runway choice. The Tokyo company, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd, showcased a revolutionary solar-smart material whose technology has the ability to absorb near-infrared rays from sunlight. The name Solament, derived from the words “solar” and “element,” and the logo, inspired by the hexagonal crystal structure of both the material’s properties and the sunlight’s rays, embodies the material’s optimized performance and endless possibilities. The company states that its product could revolutionize multiple industries, including fashion, athletics, and agriculture.
Solar-smart prototypes, hat and scarf by Solament at SXSW | Paris Smith
Solament, alongside its acclaimed transparent “down-less down jacket,” showcased two other innovative apparel prototypes: a hat and scarf. The jacket’s design eliminates traditional feathers and utilizes solar-smart technology to generate warmth directly from the fabric. The “shade-less sun hat” is a collaboration with Plasticity, an upcycling Japanese company that makes products from used umbrellas, to create a transparent yet sun-shielding hat, reducing temperatures by 41- 50 degrees Fahrenheit (5-10 degrees Celsius), according to Solament. The “bulk-less solar scarf” also uses Solament’s innovative sunlight-absorbing fabric for warmth. The company will continue to promote sustainability by using unconventional materials, such as disposable umbrellas, agricultural nets, and packaging materials in their designs.
“The Last Word” by Illegal Art and Wonderspaces at SXSW | Paris Smith
ILLEGAL ART: In collaboration with Wonderspaces, Illegal Art presented an interactive art project called “The Last Word”; the goal of the piece was to represent the company’s collective artists and their goal of creating participatory-based public artwork that inspires self-reflection, thought, and human connection. The exhibition plaque read, “There are always things left unsaid. The perfect ending to a conversation with a stranger. A clever comeback in a debate with a colleague at work. A farewell bid to a loved one. Missed opportunities to get in the last word. What do you wish you had said? Now is the time to say it. Please feel free to remove a white-side out piece of paper and share your last word, the red side exposed. You may also read the last words of other participants, but please be sure to return all pieces of paper. These are not for you to keep but to read, reflect upon, share, and return for the next passerby.” Illegal Art has been bringing participatory public art to communities around the world for over 20 years. Check out a few of their installations on Instagram @illegalart2001.
Attendee interacting with 3D graphics at SXSW | Paris Smith
HAPTO CLOUD: Can you touch 3D graphics in the air? HaptoCloud, a University of Tokyo project, in collaboration with Hakuhodo DY media partners, presented interactive 3D graphics using ultrasonic tactile stimulation. The company states that the 3D graphics are not holograms but real presences!
The Shinoda & Makino Lab at the University of Tokyo was the first entity in the world to study mid-air haptics (haptic feedback using ultrasound) in 2008. The technology, according to the company website, uses Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display (AUTD), which produces a tactile sensation remotely on human skin. The AUTD does not require users to wear any devices on their hands; instead, ultrasound transducers arrayed on the AUTD surface generate an ultrasound focus on an arbitrary position in the air, generating an “acoustic radiation pressure,” which pushes the surface of the skin. Investigate the rest of the technical explanation on their website at Haptocloud.com.
A few last comments: we felt three different objects, and you could move them around; however, each tactile sensation felt the same. There are technology limitations based on the maximum pressure used, but many universities and companies around the world are working on developing the technology.