A Few Highlights from the RootsTech Exhibitors

the team from Unlock the Past at RootsTech 2013: Alan Phillips, Helen Smith & Alona Tester

RootsTech was a few weeks ago already, and while Gould Genealogy & History didn’t exhibit over there, I did help out on the Unlock the Past stand (our sister company), but when I had a chance to go and wander around the exhibition hall I did.

Now I’m not going to name all the exhibitors as there was over 140 of them, and even with three days I didn’t get around to seeing eveyone anyway. But as you would expect all the big name companies were there with very impressive stands, but it is some of the smaller (less well-known) ones that I wanted to highlight here today.

ELIJAHTREE
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I completely fell in love with the trees done by Elijahtree, and I have added getting one of their trees done on to my “absolute must do” list. The images pretty much speak for themselves. The names on your tree are used to make the tree trunk and the swirls of the treetops. No it’s not as readable as a regular printed chart, they trust me it looks simply stunning, and will most certainly be an heirloom. I was fortunate enough to meet Molly at RootsTech. And not only is she gorgeous and very talented as she’s the artist and designer of these magnificent trees, she has a real passion for what she does.

Web: http://www.elijahtree.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElijahtreeCo

Molly at her Elijahtree stand at RootsTech 2013

one of the gorgeous trees done by Elijahtree

EMIWEB
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Another exhibitor at RootsTech was EmiWeb. They are the first web based archive of its kind covering migration to and from Scandinavia. Their purpose is getting archives online and contribute to non-profit organisations research and development. They currently have associations with archives in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and North America. Their database contains millions of entries of emigrants who travelled to and from the Nordic countries. This is a subscription site which can be on a 3 month of 12 month

Web: http://www.emiweb.se
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EmiWeb

the EmiWeb stand at RootsTech 2013. Mathias Nilsson (standing) is the Director of the Swedish American Center – National Institute for migration research and cultural exchange

GENLIGHTEN
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Some of you may have heard of Genlighten as they have been around for little a while now. Genlighten are an organisation that connects research requests with those who can do the research. While they are largely US orientated, they are wanting to expand so if you have a request or are willing to offer help in Australia (or elsewhere in the world) feel free to jump on to their website put details in.

Web: http://www.genlighten.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/genlighten

the Genlighten stand at RootsTech 2013

HOUSTORY and THE HEIRLOOM REGISTRY
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I was fortunate enough to meet Mike and Dan Hiestand the founders of Houstory at RootsTech. Unfortunately going back through my many, many photos, I don’t seem to have got one of them, but I have found a lovely photo of them from their RootsTech photo album (and I know they won’t mind sharing it with you).

Anyway Mike and Dan are the publishers of the original ‘Home History Book’ and are also the creators of ‘The Heirloom Registry’. While these are two separate things they kind of work in together. The Home History Book is one that is designed for your to record details of your house. Or in their own words “it is an heirloom-quality book that, unlike a family’s personal scrapbook or photo album, is meant to stay with a house as a permanent record of its past history and present stories”.

While The Heirloom Registry is a place to record the history or story of a family heirloom or treasured belonging. Each item you wish to register is given a unique tag (sticker) that you attach to them item. This coded sticker has the heirloom registry’s web address and when that number is entered, the details (including your story) of that heirloom will come up. So the story stays with that item wherever it goes. Always.

Web: http://www.houstory.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HoustoryPub

brothers Mike and Dan Hiestand at their Houstory stand at RootsTech 2013

PHOTO FACEMATCH
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Hands up who has old photos but aren’t sure who they are? Yes, I know every one of you does (as do I). Well, Photo Facematch can’t name your photos, but it can help you determine whether the same person is in various photographs by analyzing them.

The comparison process is very simple. Once you have accessed the PhotoFaceMatch page, load between one and five images of a known person along with a photo of someone you’re not sure of, click the analyze button, and using state-of-the-art facial recognition technology, the program will help determine the likelihood that they are the same person. Sounds cool eh?

Now it won’t be able to compare a photo of  a baby with a photo of someone in their 80s simply because the baby’s facial features haven’t developed yet, so it’s hard to analyze.  I was told the age range, and from memory their program works with photos of kids aged 7 (or was it 10?) and upwards. So useful, but unfortunately those baby photos might stay unanswered for a bit longer.

Web: http://www.photofacematch.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photofacematch

Brock from Photo FaceMatch at RootsTech 2013

REELGENIE
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ReelGenie are an amazing new company who exhibited at RootsTech, and they certainly created a lot of interest with their new product – one that allows you to make your own family movies online.

Users select a storyline for their movie, and ReelGenie guides them through the process of uploading photos, videos, and historical documents; recording voiceovers; and adding music to generate an online movie that can be shared with family and friends. Geared toward the creation of personal history movies for birthdays, memorials, anniversaries, and reunions, the service is the first of its kind.

Sounds cool doesn’t it!! Well, you’ll have to wait just a little longer as they haven’t actually launched yet. But if you head on over to their website and pop in your email, you’ll be notified when they launch, and then go nuts making your own ReelGenie movies.

Web: http://www.reelgenie.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReelGenieFilms

the guys at the ReelGenie stand were non-stop busy at RootsTech 2013