Turn Concepts Into Solutions at IT Innovation Expo

An HP presentation at a previous IT Innovation event.

Hey, what’s the big idea? Come out to the Information Technology Expo on Tuesday, July 19 to discover what new technologies and solutions may greatly enhance how your department runs.

The County Technology Office along with Hewlett Packard and AT&T are hosting the annual Information Technology Innovation Expo to showcase apps, e-forms, crowd sourcing applications, online mapping platforms and other solutions that may be used to improve work efficiency, customer service and public outreach for the County.

There will be numerous expo booths showcasing both concepts and available products you can get your hands on. Stop by from 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday at the County Operations Center to try out the tools and brainstorm ways these innovations could be applied to improve County business functions. The expo will be held in the Chambers next to the cafeteria at 5520 Overland Ave.

This year’s Innovation Day is themed around the Olympics. And in the Olympic spirit, presentation tables will be competing head-to-head for the “gold” innovation medal. However, attendees will be doing the judging for the best concepts through their mobile phones.

While it’s all about the tech, you don’t have to be a geek for it to spark good ideas for your business. Here are just some of the concepts being presented at the 2016 IT Innovation Expo.

•  Come build your own virtual reality. With “VR” goggles, it is possible to experience anything, anywhere. Explore the solar system, swim in an aquarium or journey into a patient's brain.  Imagine you are at a concert – but you are onstage with the artist. You can look at them, look at the audience, look up and down and behind you. Your smartphone tracks your head motion and allows you to turn around in all directions, to be fully immersed in the virtual reality environment. 
• The Library of Things is a service offering items –things- that may be checked out by members of the community. The criteria for checkout will be determined via a verified lending agreement form and active library card. Available items for checkout will be funded through grants and private donations. Some examples of items: GoPro, video games, projector and even musical instruments.
• ArcGIS Online is an online mapping platform that allows you to use, create, and share maps, apps, dashboards, data, analytics and more. The platform provides the means to create spatial data, perform analysis, and share spatial products and reports in a collaborative environment. The County is currently using this platform for a multitude of projects supporting emergency planning and response, public health, public safety, and general public information access. But where else can it be used?
• Mobile phones provide County employees and citizens enormous benefits, but in meetings and events, they can be a source of distraction. Rather than do the impossible and attempt to stop participants from using their phones, Sli.do does the opposite and encourages meeting and event participants to utilize their mobile devices to drive conversation and interest. With Sli.do, you can host online events and poll up to 1,000 unique participants, pull in related tweets, and present the polling data live during an event/meeting. Participants may also choose to ask questions, anonymously or named, to further drive the discussion.