Interactive Photobooth for Johnson & Johnson Medical - EADV 2025

Project Overview

Developed a sophisticated interactive photobooth application for Johnson & Johnson Medical at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) conference. The solution enables conference attendees to capture professional photos and see them displayed in real-time on large-scale mosaic displays, creating an engaging social experience that drives booth traffic and attendee interaction.

The Challenge

J&J Medical needed a memorable activation for their EADV booth that would:

• Attract and engage dermatology professionals
• Create shareable moments that extend brand reach
• Provide seamless user experience on touch-enabled kiosks
• Handle high-volume photo processing in real-time
• Display content beautifully on 4K screens

Initially considered AI-generated mosaic approaches, but determined that a custom grid-based solution would provide better performance, reliability, and visual consistency for the live event environment.

Technical Solution

Architecture

Built a full-stack application combining FastAPI (Python) backend with vanilla JavaScript frontend, optimized for touch interfaces and 4K displays.

Backend Technologies:

• FastAPI with SQLAlchemy ORM
• SQLite database for session management
• Custom email service integration
• Real-time photo processing pipeline
• Multi-page mosaic generation system

Frontend Technologies:

• Responsive HTML5/CSS3 templates
• Vanilla JavaScript for touch optimization
• Custom virtual keyboard implementation
• Real-time mosaic display with automatic rotation
• WebRTC camera integration

Key Features Implemented

Multi-Page Mosaic System

• Dynamic grid calculation supporting 350 photos per 4K page (25×14 grid)
• Automatic page rotation every 30 seconds
• Real-time photo integration without display interruption
• Configurable grid sizing for different screen resolutions

Streamlined User Journey

• 7-step flow: Intro → Terms → Camera → Preview → Email → Choice → Thanks
• Session-based tracking ensuring data integrity
• Custom touch keyboard for email capture
• Instant email delivery with high-resolution photos

Real-Time Display Management

• Live mosaic updates when new photos are added
• 7-second transition animations showcasing new additions
• Automatic rotation between mosaic pages and call-to-action videos
• Performance-optimized for continuous operation

Technical Challenges & Solutions

Touch Interface Optimization
Designed custom keyboard with 150×150px touch targets, eliminating the need for mode switching (numbers always visible) to reduce user friction on kiosk hardware.

Real-Time Performance
Implemented efficient photo processing pipeline using background tasks and incremental mosaic updates, ensuring the display never freezes or becomes unresponsive during high-traffic periods.

Multi-Screen Scaling
Created responsive grid system that adapts from 4K displays (25×14) down to smaller screens while maintaining visual consistency and optimal photo presentation.

Session Management
Built robust session tracking system preventing data loss and ensuring each user journey completes successfully, even during network interruptions or hardware resets.

Results & Impact

• 665+ photos captured during first days of the conference
• Seamless operation across multiple kiosk stations
• Zero downtime during peak conference hours
• High engagement rates with attendees returning multiple times
• Positive feedback on intuitive touch interface design

The solution successfully created a focal point for J&J's booth, generating social media content and facilitating meaningful connections between dermatology professionals.

Development Timeline

4-week sprint delivery:

• Week 1: Requirements gathering, architecture design, core backend
• Week 2: Frontend development, camera integration, email system
• Week 3: Mosaic display system, multi-page implementation
• Week 4: Performance optimization, testing, deployment preparation

Technologies Used

• Backend: FastAPI, SQLAlchemy, SQLite, Python
• Frontend: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, WebRTC
• Infrastructure: Docker, Linux deployment
• Integration: SMTP email service, file upload handling
• Performance: Background task processing, efficient caching

Key Takeaways

This project demonstrated the importance of choosing the right technical approach for the specific use case. While AI-generated mosaics were initially considered, the custom grid-based solution provided the reliability and performance needed for a live event environment.

The emphasis on touch-first design and real-time performance optimization proved crucial for creating a seamless user experience that could handle the high-energy environment of a major medical conference.