System and method for spotlight identification of audience members during question and answer sessions

Abstract

A system for identifying audience members and sequencing audience participation, the system includes: a computing device with logic and storage devices electrically connected audience member control panels, audience identification devices, and a moderator or speaker user interface; wherein the audience control panels are configured for individual audience members to make requests; wherein the computing device: receives the audience member requests and position identifiers and places them in a sequential list in the order received; records position identifiers for the audience members in the sequential list; sends the sequential list to the moderator or speaker; retrieves audience member seat coordinates in response to the recorded position identifiers; calculates actuation commands to control the audience identification devices; actuates the audience identification devices to highlight or focus on an audience member; and activates a microphone located in the vicinity of the recognized audience member, while disabling additional audience member microphones.