Hybrid events experienced a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic and have remained a part of our everyday lives ever since. It was in this context that our latest research project, called ToHyVe, was launched.
Together with exciting partners such as Deutsche Telekom, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), three Fraunhofer Institutes, and several other SME, we worked on this project from July 2022 to June 2024. The goal was to develop a toolbox for hybrid event formats in order to create immersive virtual experiences. It was a great pleasure to conduct our own research and to accompany the entire process from ideation to final implementation. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
The focus of ToHyVe lies in improving telepresence technologies and making both virtual and physical participation more interactive. Special attention was given to data protection, security, and how well the technologies were accepted — all with the goal of making them more sustainable. As part of the project, tools were developed for virtual showrooms, hybrid panels, workshops, and interactive presentations.
Why do we need hybrid event solutions?
Even after the pandemic, hybrid events and participation continue to offer numerous advantages. For example, speakers or participants can easily join virtually without the need for extensive travel.
This not only helps make events more accessible but also contributes to sustainability, as travel often involves significant costs and emissions. Hybrid events enable people around the world to connect and meet in virtual spaces. This ensures equal participation and interaction for everyone — on stage and in the audience.
ToHyVe in Action
A total of 20 demonstrators over the two-year research project have shown that the technology works effectively, making the project a complete success. Archimedes had the privilege not only to witness but to help shape the journey from research to application — and to collaborate closely with many amazing consortium partners over an extended period.
Many thanks for the exciting collaboration to:
German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Deutsche Telekom AG – T-Labs, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security (AISEC), Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institute (HHI), Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), iventic GmbH, mac messe- und ausstellungscenter Service GmbH, nanocosmos GmbH, and TriCAT GmbH.
