Interactive Healthcare Exhibit Design That Drives Booth Traffic

Custom Rube Goldberg Machine Engages Cochlear Exhibit Visitors

Condit collaborated with client Cochlear and partner agency Moonlab/Bloqlab to create an interactive 20×20 exhibit at the American Cochlear Implant Alliance Cochlear Implant Conference 2026. The exhibit included a fully functional Rube Goldberg machine activation.

GOAL

Interactive activations have become a powerful strategy for helping brands stand out in increasingly competitive tradeshow environments. By inviting attendees to participate rather than simply observe, experiential elements encourage longer booth visits, foster meaningful conversations, and create memorable brand interactions. Whether through hands-on demonstrations, gamification, or immersive storytelling, interactive experiences can capture attention while giving attendees a compelling reason to engage.

Beyond attracting visitors, interactive exhibits provide an opportunity to communicate complex ideas in an approachable and memorable way. Thoughtfully designed activations can reinforce key messaging, illustrate product benefits, and create emotional connections that resonate long after the event ends. By blending education with entertainment, exhibitors can transform brand stories into experiences that not only drive booth traffic but also leave a lasting impression on prospective customers.

About Cochlear

Founded in Australia in 1981, Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, dedicated to helping people with moderate to profound hearing loss reconnect with the sounds that matter most. The company pioneered the world’s first commercially available multichannel cochlear implant and has continued to advance hearing technology through decades of innovation, research, and clinical collaboration. Today, Cochlear’s portfolio includes cochlear implants, bone conduction solutions, and acoustic implants designed to improve hearing outcomes for patients of all ages.

With more than 750,000 implantable hearing devices provided worldwide, Cochlear works closely with hearing healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocacy organizations to expand access to life-changing hearing technology. Through a continued focus on innovation, education, and patient-centered care, the company remains committed to improving quality of life by helping individuals hear, connect, and thrive.

About CI2026

The American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACI Alliance) Cochlear Implant Conference is the leading multidisciplinary event dedicated to cochlear implantation and hearing restoration in the United States. Held annually, the conference brings together audiologists, otologists, surgeons, speech-language pathologists, researchers, educators, and industry partners to explore the latest advances in cochlear implant technology, clinical research, patient outcomes, and best practices in hearing healthcare.

In addition to scientific presentations and continuing education opportunities, the conference features an exhibit hall where manufacturers and industry leaders showcase emerging technologies, products, and services. With a highly specialized audience of hearing healthcare professionals, the event provides an ideal environment for meaningful education, product demonstrations, and collaborative discussions focused on improving access to and outcomes for cochlear implant recipients.

Hannah Sayer, Event Marketing Manager at Cochlear, summarized the event marketing vision for CI26:

“At CI2026, we set out to reinforce Cochlear’s position as the leader in cochlear implant innovation and clinical partnership. The goal was not only to showcase product advancements, but to influence clinical thinking, strengthen relationships with key professionals, and demonstrate the long-term value of Cochlear’s portfolio.

We approached CI2026 with a fully integrated event marketing strategy centered on a single, cohesive narrative. Rather than promoting individual products in isolation, we focused on telling a broader portfolio narrative one that connected innovation, outcomes, and lifelong patient support.

This narrative was anchored in three key ideas:

Enabling the strongest possible start for patients
Continuously advancing technology and care over time
Serving as a trusted, long-term partner to clinicians and recipients

To bring this to life, our team aligned all event components (booth design, symposia, professional education, and small-group engagements) under the same messaging framework. This ensured that every interaction reinforced a consistent story and value proposition.

Central to this effort was the introduction of the Nucleus® Nexa™ system, positioned as a future-ready platform that reflects Cochlear’s leadership in advancing hearing technology.”

In the healthcare industry, interactive experiences require a thoughtful balance between engagement, professionalism, and regulatory awareness. Activations should complement the scientific and clinical nature of the event while remaining aligned with brand guidelines and applicable compliance standards. When designed with intention, interactive elements can educate rather than distract, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations that reinforce credibility and build trust with healthcare professionals. The most effective healthcare exhibits deliver memorable experiences without compromising the accuracy, integrity, or professionalism expected in a medical environment.

A Rube Goldberg machine is an intentionally elaborate chain-reaction device that performs a simple task through a series of interconnected steps. Each action triggers the next, creating a sequence of motion that is as entertaining as it is inventive. Named after American cartoonist and engineer Rube Goldberg, whose humorous illustrations in the early 1900s depicted overly complicated machines solving everyday problems, these creations have become synonymous with creativity, engineering, and cause-and-effect storytelling. Today, Rube Goldberg machines are used in everything from STEM education and marketing campaigns to museum exhibits and experiential brand activations, captivating audiences by transforming ordinary actions into memorable demonstrations of ingenuity and precision.

Edgar Kirakosyan, Co-Founder + CEO of BloqLab, described the Rube Goldberg mechanism and how it fits into the larger exhibit environment,

“The concept for the machine construction is deeply rooted in the Cochlear’s process. Once we learned and understood the journey that each patient takes, it came down to execution. Each step of the way was represented with moving elements and components that guided the patient through Cochlear’s path. Parallel to this process we had to demonstrate the shortcomings of competition and traditional approaches, while showcasing how Cochlear’s process shines. Material, colors, and finishes were heavily emphasized, and we worked with Cochlear’s team closely in order to determine the best approach with each component. Logistics and installation determined the size of the machine as well as crating and deployment. Smaller free standing cabinets allowed for quick install and supported all the components during transportation. Having a large number of digital fabrication processes at our disposal, we made a decision from the beginning to build every single piece in our CAD program. This led to a project composed of more than 800 unique components that were 3D printed, CNC machined, laser cut, and printed on to build this unique experience. Low voltage electrical was distributed in modular fashion. Each millwork segment came with a power supply, which distributed a variety of voltages for motors, lights and screens.”

RESULT

Edgar continued by describing this specific machine’s componentry and functionality for Cochlear,

“Activation featured a whole slew of motorized components, predetermined functions and manual controls for every step of the process. The journey started with a drop of the marble, representing a patient, traveling to a rotating lifter. The approval process represented by a manual gate would then allow the journey to continue through pathways, tubes, and obstacles. Chain lifters were crucial segments where the patient would travel to multitude of approvals then hop on to the next process climbing through steps. The speed on all moving parts were either preset or exposed to the demonstrator to control. This was adjusted to match the speed of the story telling process during each demo, and some were manually adjusted to demonstrate the speed at which competition operates vs Cochlear. The demo ended with another manual gate walking patients through maintenance and support. The marble then travels through updates and upgrades of the final lifter and completes the journey in the bucket along with other success stories.”

As the end-client, Hannah provided an overview of Cochlear’s CI26 results:

“At this year’s CI conference, we delivered a multi-layered experience designed to engage attendees at varying depths:

Exhibit Presence: The booth served as the central storytelling platform, using visual content, demonstrations, and interactive elements to highlight innovation, care pathways, and outcomes.
Education & Thought Leadership: Sponsored symposia and educational sessions focused on evidence-based practices, reinforcing Cochlear’s role as a clinical leader and partner in improving patient outcomes.
Product Launch: The Nexa System was prominently featured through dedicated storytelling, demonstrations, and integration into broader clinical discussions, positioning it as the next evolution in cochlear implant technology.
Targeted Engagements: Smaller-format interactions—including topic dinners, workshops, and meetings—enabled more personalized, in-depth conversations with key stakeholders.

This approach intentionally prioritized meaningful engagement over volume, focusing on quality conversations and relationship-building rather than traditional lead generation metrics. We saw the average person engage in our booth for 7.5 minutes. With a typical break time of only 30 minutes, we were grateful they would choose to spend 25% of their respite with us.

Through this integrated approach, we saw successes:

Strengthened our positioning as a leader in cochlear implant innovation
Elevated awareness and understanding of the Nexa technology as a future-focused system
Reinforced credibility through our evidence-based education and clinical dialogue on podiums, within our booth, and in our meetings.
Deepened relationships with audiologists, surgeons, and key opinion leaders
Demonstrated the value of Cochlear’s broader care model—showing how its technology, services, and long-term support work together to improve patient outcomes. This was done within our booth via the Rube Goldberg activation.”

While the finished experience appears effortless, designing and building a custom Rube Goldberg machine is a highly technical undertaking. Every component must be carefully engineered, tested, and refined to ensure each action consistently triggers the next. Success depends on meticulous planning, precise fabrication, and extensive iteration, as even minor adjustments can affect the performance of the entire sequence. As with any complex interactive installation, thoughtful problem-solving throughout the design and development process is essential to delivering a reliable experience on the showfloor.

Edgar explained further,

“The biggest challenge for us was sourcing materials and colors that were consistent with brand identity. This was a trial and error process, we had to identify and print a whole range of materials and colors in order to produce components that would last through wear and tear without changing the aesthetic dramatically throughout its lifecycle. Time was not on our side throughout this process. Given short two months of design, fabrication and heavy testing we relied on the speed and agility of digital fabrication processes to deliver consistent form, functionality, and color with each part. We also employed a parallel design and build process where the structure, mechanics, and electronics were addressed first and built to support heavy testing while more aesthetic components were produced towards the end.”

VALUE

Complex experiential projects are most successful when agencies and exhibit partners work as a seamless extension of one another. While agencies bring brand strategy, creative vision, and campaign objectives to the table, exhibit partners contribute the technical expertise required to translate those ideas into reliable, show-ready experiences. Early collaboration enables creative concepts to be evaluated for feasibility, budget, logistics, and attendee experience from the outset, reducing risk while preserving the original vision.

By involving both teams throughout the design, engineering, and fabrication process, brands benefit from stronger communication, faster problem-solving, and more innovative outcomes. This collaborative approach ensures that ambitious ideas remain practical to execute, resulting in interactive activations that are not only visually compelling but also dependable, compliant, and ready to perform under the demands of a live tradeshow environment.

Edgar provided some additional insight to this process,

“Condit brought a great deal of expertise when it came to logistics, installation, and integration of the build to overall booth design. We worked closely with Ned Mackey to coordinate the timeline for delivery, install, and power needs for our activation. Installation documentation was also coordinated to allocate enough labor for build, dismantle, and recreating of the activation. We also did a training process for all the electronics integrated into the activation. This would ensure Condit can reactivate the build in other shows as they take ownership of the activation.”

Turn Complex Ideas into Interactive Exhibit Experiences

Healthcare Exhibit Expertise

For decades, Condit has partnered with leading healthcare, medical device, pharmaceutical, and life sciences organizations to create experiences that balance innovation with precision. Our team understands the unique demands of healthcare tradeshows, from communicating complex technologies to designing exhibit environments that foster meaningful conversations while meeting the professionalism and compliance expectations of the industry. With deep experience across major medical meetings and conventions, we help brands create exhibits that educate, engage, and inspire confidence.

Trusted Agency Partnerships

Condit regularly collaborates with creative agencies, experiential firms, and brand partners to bring ambitious ideas to life. Acting as an extension of the agency team, we provide engineering, fabrication, project management, and show services, as well as design support as needed, that transform creative concepts into reliable, show-ready experiences. By combining strategic creativity with technical expertise, we help agencies deliver exceptional results while ensuring every detail is executed with precision from concept through installation.

Let’s start a chain reaction!

From initial strategy and creative collaboration through engineering, fabrication, logistics, and on-site execution, Condit partners with brands and agencies to transform ambitious ideas into unforgettable exhibit experiences

Ready to start the next great activation? Connect with our team and explore our portfolio of custom exhibits and interactive experiences.