Maker Faire Rome 2020 goes entirely digital

Among the many accelerations that the pandemic has imposed in the field of digital technology, there is also the one concerning fairs. Suspended in most cases or maintained in a fortuitous coincidence between dates and numbers of contagions, many promoters are exploring tentative ways to replicate their presence in virtual mode, wondering if the effectiveness of an interface can ever replace the interactions (and the related economic dynamics) that inhabit their physical space.

Maker Faire Rome - The European Edition has chosen the path of a full digital reconversion by providing itself with a platform, accessible worldwide after registration, that allows to explore all the contents fair including the profiles of each exhibitor, their projects, as well as the conferences that animate the event. Developed by Dotdotdot in collaboration with the Milanese fab lab OpenDot, the interface is inspired by the world of gaming and aims, in the developers' intentions, to reconstruct a fluid and effective interaction, directing visitors to contents of interest and enabling them to relate directly with the makers.

What if this format is a preview of what could be waiting for us in the coming months? The great events of 2021 could further resolve the dualism between real and virtual dimensions, making a three-dimensional virtual world, populated by avatars and animated by dedicated etiquettes, a new, possible norm of interaction and sales in tradeshow.