|
Communique Dec 2009/Jan 2010 issue
E-posters: Technology Strikes Again
reprinted by kind permission of MPI Ottawa Chapter Communiqué and Sandra Armstrong
Scientific meetings are an important
forum for researchers to
showcase and receive feedback on
their work. Traditionally, this research
was shared verbally in a session with
other presentations on a similar topic.
However, submissions to conferences
were becoming so numerous that
there wasn't enough program time
to present them all orally. So in the
1970s, visual presentations in the
form of posters were created, allowing
for more exchange of ideas in a
tradeshow format.
Fast forward to today and some
meetings are even running out of
poster space for the high rate of submissions.
As with many other aspects
of conferences, new technology has
been developed to solve existing
dilemmas. In addition to online submission
and review processes, the
invention of e-posters has addressed
the high volume problem. E-posters
are displayed on computer screens or
large high-definition televisions for
delegates to view at their convenience.
Instead of walking through
rows of poster boards in a traditional
set-up, registrants stand at a station
that scrolls through a number of
posters on a similar topic. Depending
on the product chosen, different
control keys can assist in choosing
specific posters to view. When no
one is activating the controls, the
system reverts back to scrolling
through the posters.
As with any new technology,
there are advantages and disadvantages.
Displaying posters digitally
reduces the space requirements,
thereby creating potential savings on
room rental charges. It is a greener
option, since no paper or ink is used
to create the posters; and there are
no transportation costs for the poster
presenters. Some of the systems even
allow for videos to be imbedded in
the files. E-posters can be archived
and searched by topic, keyword,
author, etc.
Some of the challenges include
the cost of the technology and security
to monitor the area. Other considerations
include presenters' and
delegates' willingness to adapt to
the technology and the challenge of
judging the posters in this new format.
Organizations should evaluate
their specific requirements to determine
if e-posters are the right solution
for their meeting. According to
one supplier, meetings with fewer
than 50 posters would not benefit
from the technology.
For more information on digital posters, you can visit
the websites of two Canadian suppliers:
Digital Poster Center (www.digitalpostercenter.com) and
Scolars (www.scolars.com/digital_posters).
|
