Last month, at the IBM Software Universe 2011 in Mumbai, India, all delegates were given a unique device called SpotMe. SpotMe is a specialized mobile device to get all event attendees activated and engaged in event activities and the networking around it. Of course, at the end of the event, everybody was required to return the device.

The device helps in engaging attendees through active participation and includes ways to gather audience response. The attendee features and location functionality make for supercharged networking experience using the device. The device also facilitates logistics and information dissemination by providing maps, navigation, agenda and venue information, and other event details.

At the event, I met Damien Plumettaz, the Event Engineer from SpotMe. I asked Damien if such functionality can be achieved using mobile apps on different platforms rather than lugging another device during a conference. He said that’s something they have on their idea board as well but wasn’t sure if they would venture in that direction. Damien also shared an interesting trivia about the SpotMe device. The device has microphone because during the design phase they wanted to include calling functionality so that you could call other event attendees through the device!

Here’s a quick hands on of SpotMe that I recorded at the event: