Software Development

What is Software Development for Events?

Event software development is the craft of building custom code that has to work perfectly, in public, at a specific moment in time — a craft Beatrox practices from Portland, Oregon for experiences nationwide. It covers real-time interactive experiences, sensor-driven installations, media playback logic, show-control integration, and the custom tooling that ties lighting, video, audio, and interactivity into one responsive system. You need custom software whenever an experience can't be bought off the shelf: a wall that reacts to the people in front of it, an AR moment driven by body tracking, a queue of kiosks that must never freeze, or a show where lighting and projection respond live to a performance. The tools exist — TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine, Unity, computer vision libraries — but making them reliable under live conditions is its own discipline. What separates event software from other software is the testing environment: there isn't one. Code has to be right before doors open, degrade gracefully if a sensor misbehaves, and be operable by a crew member who isn't a developer. That's how we build it.

Common Applications

What BEATROX Provides

BEATROX develops the full software stack for experiential work: real-time engines in TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine, and Unity; computer vision and sensor integration with hardware like Microsoft Kinect Azure and LIDAR; custom interfaces for guests and operators; and the networking and show-control glue that keeps every system synchronized. We prototype early, test against the actual hardware, and deploy with on-site support through the event. Our software has run in front of serious audiences. For the G-MAN Experiential Campaign with Toyota x MTV in Los Angeles, custom interactive technology drove the guest experience end to end. At AKU World for AKU + FTX in New York, we built an interactive software ecosystem across a multi-room event — Unreal Engine real-time content in the projection-mapped main room, interactive kiosks for selecting an 'Inner Astronaut,' and a 4D body-scanning pipeline for creating and minting digital avatars. And for Adidas at Super Bowl 2020 in Miami, our TouchDesigner programming paired with Kinect Azure motion capture and AI computer vision powered an AR mirror with a real-time physics portal, plus a custom photo booth that gave every guest a shareable digital takeaway.

How We Work

1. 01Discovery — We define the interaction, audience flow, and technical constraints
2. 02Prototyping — Core interactions are built and tested against real hardware early
3. 03Development — Full experience build with operator tools and fallback states
4. 04Integration & Testing — Software is stress-tested with the actual sensors, servers, and displays
5. 05Deployment — On-site installation, calibration, and rehearsal with the show team
6. 06Live Support & Handoff — We staff the event and document the system for future runs

Why BEATROX

Frequently Asked Questions