A technology demonstration (or tech demo), also known as demonstrator model, is a
prototype, rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a conceivable product or future system, put together as
proof of concept
Proof of concept (POC or PoC), also known as proof of principle, is a realization of a certain method or idea in order to demonstrate its feasibility, or a demonstration in principle with the aim of verifying that some concept or theory has prac ...
with the primary purpose of showcasing the possible applications, feasibility, performance and method of an idea for a new technology. They can be used as demonstrations to the
investor
An investor is a person who allocates financial capital with the expectation of a future return (profit) or to gain an advantage (interest). Through this allocated capital most of the time the investor purchases some species of property. Type ...
s, partners, journalists or even to potential customers in order to convince them of the viability of the chosen approach, or to test them on ordinary users.
Computers and gaming
Technology demonstrations are often used in the
computer industry, emerging as an important tool in response to short development cycles, in both software and hardware development.
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Computer game developers use tech demos to rouse and maintain interest to titles still in development (because
game engines are usually ready before the art is finished) and to ensure functionality by early testing. Short segments using finished game engines may be presented as
game demo
A game demo is a trial version of a video game that is limited to a certain time limit or a point in progress, which leads to the player buying the game if they liked it. A game demo comes in forms such as shareware, demo disc, downloadable s ...
s.
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Graphics cards manufacturers use tech demos to showcase the performance of their cards even before there are any games that can deliver that performance or before the product is ready to be used outside of the development labs. In November 2002,
Nvidia
Nvidia CorporationOfficially written as NVIDIA and stylized in its logo as VIDIA with the lowercase "n" the same height as the uppercase "VIDIA"; formerly stylized as VIDIA with a large italicized lowercase "n" on products from the mid 1990s to ...
started the practice of featuring realistic characters in graphics card technology demos, by releasing Dawn for its
GeForce FX
The GeForce FX or "GeForce 5" series (codenamed NV30) is a line of graphics processing units from the manufacturer Nvidia.
Overview
Nvidia's GeForce FX series is the fifth generation of the GeForce line. With GeForce 3, the company introduced p ...
card. The demo featured a forest
fairy with semi-realistic short hair and beautiful wings. Later Nvidia followed with similar, new demos and
ATI Technologies
ATI Technologies Inc. (commonly called ATI) was a Canadian semiconductor technology corporation based in Markham, Ontario, that specialized in the development of graphics processing units and chipsets. Founded in 1985 as Array Technology Inc., ...
joined the race.
* Being by nature much less complex than complete games (that have to include dynamic physics modelling, audio engines, etc.), technology demos for graphics can deliver substantially better image quality, making the general look of games lag several years behind video card technology demos. For example, the
PlayStation 2 demos ''Namco Girl'' (a lifelike female character from ''
Ridge Racer
is a racing video game series developed and published for arcade systems and home game consoles by Bandai Namco Entertainment, formerly Namco. The first game, '' Ridge Racer'' (1993), was originally released in arcades for the Namco System 22 ...
'' winking flirtatiously at viewers) and ''old man'' used all the processing power to produce a high-quality single character model, in a static environment.
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the ...
trailers also showed Raven, a buff woman and her robot, showing off
martial art
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...
moves.
Computer technology demos should not be confused with
demoscene
The demoscene is an international computer art subculture focused on producing demos: self-contained, sometimes extremely small, computer programs that produce audiovisual presentations. The purpose of a demo is to show off programming, visual ...
-based
demos, which, although often demonstrating new software techniques, are regarded as a stand-alone form of computer art.
Google Tech Demo
Demo Slam, a website from
Google Inc
Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. I ...
., as launched with the slogan "Bring your creativity. Bring your tech. Just bring it in general, fool! Demo Slam is here!", was a large collection of technology demonstrations uploaded by users, and some of the Google executives as well, which will go to the 'Contender'.
Sales engineering technology demonstration
Sales Engineer
Sales engineering is a hybrid of sales and engineering that exists in industrial and commercial markets. An engineering degree is not mandatory for a sales engineer, as long as they have sales knowledge and sufficient technical knowledge of the ser ...
ing staff, often bearing the title
Sales Engineer
Sales engineering is a hybrid of sales and engineering that exists in industrial and commercial markets. An engineering degree is not mandatory for a sales engineer, as long as they have sales knowledge and sufficient technical knowledge of the ser ...
or Presales Consultant, will prepare technology demonstrations for business meetings or seminars to show capabilities of business products. This can include both software and hardware products, and can show multiple products integrating together. Usually a demonstration is less than a
Proof of concept
Proof of concept (POC or PoC), also known as proof of principle, is a realization of a certain method or idea in order to demonstrate its feasibility, or a demonstration in principle with the aim of verifying that some concept or theory has prac ...
, but can come some of the way to showing how a business project may be justified. Large companies with tens or hundreds of
Sales Engineer
Sales engineering is a hybrid of sales and engineering that exists in industrial and commercial markets. An engineering degree is not mandatory for a sales engineer, as long as they have sales knowledge and sufficient technical knowledge of the ser ...
s will often have a team who specialize in the production of demonstration systems and plans.
See also
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Demo mode
The demo mode (short for "demonstration mode", also sometimes mentioned as floor mode or kiosk mode) is a feature often found in consumer electronics. A demo mode is usually programmed into the floor model's firmware, which may be accessed by the ...
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Game demo
A game demo is a trial version of a video game that is limited to a certain time limit or a point in progress, which leads to the player buying the game if they liked it. A game demo comes in forms such as shareware, demo disc, downloadable s ...
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Research and development
References
{{norefs, date=July 2018
External links
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The mother of all demos' - Douglas Engelbart's demonstration
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- How to do a Great Tech Demo!
Prototypes
Tests