Will drones start showing up at association events? Maybe not right away. But associations may start using beacons and virtual presenters. ASAE’s technology association conference last month highlighted several new gadgets. ASAE CIO Reggie Henry says beacons are placed throughout a trade show to track where people are at any given time. It helped ASAE figure out one spot at the exhibition hall during the tech conference that wasn’t all that popular. A food station was moved there to improve flow.

Virtual presenters may also come in handy at events, says Reggie. Using cameras and other equipment, a virtual person, who actually appears to be blinking and breathing, can be stationed in certain areas to answer simple questions and provide directions. Reggie says social access management is also of interest to associations. The technology allows them to grant visitors access to certain parts of a building using beacons and near field communications. As for drones, Reggie says some associations may think about using them to take pictures at events and stream footage of exhibit halls from unique angles.