Page 129 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report 2016

pro le they are following is broadcasting live (just as when there is a new tweet).At the same time, it also sends a tweet to the linked account providing information: ‘LIVE on #Periscope’. It likewise allows spectators to share on the same social media site a tweet with the streaming link (which, interestingly, can be seen in web format, though it can only be reposted using the mobile app).The search engine in the form of a map is an interesting function for allowing people to nd the user. When platform users and pro les broadcast live, a pointer appears by the city on the map and disappears when they stop.Although it is a young platform (it has only been around for about a year), it is catching on fast among households and individuals (people who broadcast gatherings with friends at their homes, for example) and is also being used by organisations and institutions of all kinds to broadcast conferences, debates, presentations, concerts... Even the Spanish police force has begun employing this new tool.The cultural institutions that are experimenting the most with this tool are museums and galleries, such as the Musée Dapper in Paris,but one festival stands out particularly: the San Sebastián International Film Festival, which used it to promote the most recent 2015 edition. The organisers used this service to broadcast, for example, red carpet arrivals, photocalls, presentations and press conferences.The organisers tell us that they nd this app very interesting, as it has signi cant potential despite requiring very little infrastructure and few resources and is becoming widely accepted by followers. It can therefore provide a range of options for promotional and other purposes, depending on needs, for a very low budget.In this section we have thus seen mechanisms for disseminating and extending a festival’smission and objectives beyond geographical boundaries and time limits, and for spreading the notion of culture as something that is freer.2.5. BeaconsThe Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the latest revolutions of the current digital age both in communications and in technology in general. IoT refers to a new horizon in which di erent types of objects are connected to the Internet for various purposes and uses.In general, these objects are designed with the necessary built-in technology, such as the latest generation of smart refrigerators and washing machines or electricity metres. But there are also ways of making objects connective – or at least of transforming them into supports for sensors. The most popular cases are found in today’s sensorised, high-tech or smart cities as they are most widely known. For example, some of these cities (such as Barcelona) use sensors to detect when skips for rubbish and recyclable waste are full. This information is gathered and analysedat a data centre and passed on to the refuse collection services to make them faster and more e cient.In contrast, beacons40 are very small transmitters designed to provide speci c information, news or warnings on something that is occurring in the area to mobile devices entering their range. They do so by detecting Bluetooth-enabledAC/E DIGITAL CULTURE ANNUAL REPORT 2016129Focus: Use of New Digital Technologies at Cultural Festivals