Such a familiar situation when you go to a conference:

Ever been part of an audience and wanted to participate in a live event?

Your options were limited: either raise your hand and project as far as your voice allows; or patiently await a wireless microphone to relay its way through the crowd.

Yep, that’s the picture I recall from every conference I’ve spoken at or attended in recent years.

So a BBC news item today got my attention with its report on a pretty neat-looking method of enabling real participation that I think would galvanize conferences and speaker engagement with those attending, aka the audience.

Imagine if there were a simple method of enabling anyone to ask a question or join in a conversation with an event speaker, a panel, etc, using their smartphone as a microphone. No special microphones, just an app on your own familiar phone that lets you speak.

Not only that, but also enable text messaging between participants and speaker. Easy instant polls as well.

A US-based company called Crowd Mics has done just that.

It’s simple to use:

• Download Crowd Mics on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch
• Plug that device into the sound system with the headphone port
• Attendees download the free app for iOS or Android
• Everyone connects to the same WiFi network
• Watch audience interaction get real!

Take a look:

Conferences  just got more engaging. I’ve yet to see an event in the UK so enabled, but it’s just a matter of time, I bet.

(Photo at top by Cvent via Flickr CC-NC-ND-SA.)