A recap of TechNite

October 3, 2008

gbtc2.jpgLast night, the Greater Baltimore Technology Council held their 19th annual TechNite at the Baltimore Convention Center before more than one thousand people.

As I made my way to the registration area outside of the ballroom, I could see fluorescent lights seeping through the entrance doors.

As I received my badge and walked in, it was like jumping into a time machine and traveling to the year 2050. The GBTC went above and beyond to create an elaborate, effervescent display.

Blue lights emanated from large tents, a jumbotron stood at the back of the room, and new age/trance music served as the background.  There were Mac books set up around the bar areas that showed scenic montage-like sequences.  There were also live video/photo feeds on the event’s Web site. Get the picture?

As I made my way around to some of the sponsor tables that encompassed the room, one of the more interesting displays I found was at the Johns Hopkins booth.

gbtc1.jpgDan Stoianovici, Director of the URobotics Program, brought a robot that was designed to be used for urological procedures.  One of Stoinavici’s students, Bogdan Vigaru, was controlling the machine with his hands. One onlooker quipped, ‘you don’t want to know where that’s going.’

From different forms of technology designed to kill cancer, to new omega 3 products that slow the progression of Alzheimers, to innovations that ease the transition to digital radio, it was no wonder there was so much hype surrounding the event.

Among the attendees were representatives from DLA Piper, Ernst & Young and M&T Bank, to name a few.

When playfully asked “Who are you wearing?”, most men said they were wearing sports jackets from Jos. A Bank.  As for the other side of the aisle, one woman, who wished to remain anonymous, confided her stunning outfit was from Old Navy and Loehmann’s.

Steve Kozak, director of the GBTC, told me he wanted “people walking out of here feeling proud and excited to live here.” As I left the room to Fatboy Slim’s “Right here, Right now” with a number of attendants waving blue sticks like they were on an airport runway, I felt just that way.

RICHARD SIMON, Multimedia Reporter

Sphere: Related Content

Posted by Jackie Sauter | Filed Under business, technology 

Comments

Got something to say?





  • Law

  • Business

  • Archives

  • Visit Eye on Annapolis

    Check out our blog on the legislative session, Eye on Annapolis.

  • Categories

Business

The business staff of The Daily Record newspaper will contribute to this section. We'll write about topics ranging from the workplace to energy to the environment, but we'll strive to keep it as local as possible.

RSS Business posts

Law

The Daily Record’s been Maryland’s legal newspaper for 120 years or so. Now, we want to be Maryland’s legal blog, too. Click here to join the discussion and read posts by our legal team, including our Monday law blog round-up.

RSS Law posts

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

  • Lou Fritz: Robbie Whelan’s, There Stands Brody Like A Stonewall, is typical of journalists who are long on...
  • Donald S. Smith: I find it interesting that those who claim to love freedom the most are sometimes the quickest to...
  • Steve: Robbie, Your ignorance is deafening.
  • Rich Barnett: Are you really able to write this story and end it with “one of the state’s most...
  • Winger: Well, let’s look at a list: 1.) Baltimore is situated below the Mason / Dixon line. 2.) The battery on...

On Commenting

We ask that our readers follow a few guidelines, noted below.

Please do not post any personal attacks, profanity, spam or other advertisements — they will be removed. Also, please post using only one name or pseudonym, as this consistency helps establish a sense of community. We will delete posts if they are signed with different names but originate from the same IP or email address. And if you’re going to comment using a proper name, please make it your own. Deliberate misrepresentations will be removed.