SXSW Interactive adds health and medical tech expo for 2015

Shaquille O’Neal speaks during a “Wearables and Beyond” presentation with Rick Valencia, vice president of Qualcomm on Sunday, March 9 at the 2014 festival. It was one of many panels related to health, fitness and the future of medical technology. Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell / AMERICAN- STATESMAN)

Over the last few years, there’ve been more and more health-related panels at South by Southwest Interactive as wearable devices have grown popular and apps geared toward wellness have taken off.

But for 2015, the conference is doing more than highlighting a track of panels related to the subject; it's adding expo space. The conference said Monday that it will debut the SX Health and MedTech Expo. Taking place at the tail end of Interactive, March 16-17, the two-day event will feature about 60 exhibitors and about 40 panels and presentations.