Sarner, a leading international creative design and AV installation company, has created a unique piece of wearable technology for the new, ‘regenerated’ Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff.
The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff reopened to the public in October. Sarner, who designed, created and installed the original attraction, also updated the experience for the new Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi (right).
BBC Worldwide was keen for visitors to be more fully involved in the new adventure by giving them a wearable piece of technology. Sarner created a visitor pass embedded with a ‘Time Crystal’, based on the Doctor Who episode ‘Rise of the Cyberman’, which allows them entrance to the sacred Museum of Gallifrey. It gradually becomes clear that the Time Crystal has a special connection to the TARDIS and visitors are eventually able to use it to help save the Doctor in the exciting finale.
This ground breaking piece of wearable technology combines the latest in infrared, LED and vibration. The Time Crystals are fully DMX controllable – as visitors progress through the Experience, the Time Crystal flashes and glows through a sequence of colours. Bespoke infrared control units trigger the Time Crystals at specific times and places inside the Experience.
Sarner’s Projects Director, Ed Cookson, explains, “The wearable technology had to make sense as part of the story whilst adding to the visitor’s experience, but it became apparent to us that there was nothing on the market readily available so we had to invent our own.
“There are LED reactive wristbands and other similar technology currently being used but because this whole new Experience was about creating a totally immersive new storyline, we didn’t want to shoe-horn a product that didn't make sense as part of the narrative. The pendant was designed from the ground up as a creative solution, to make sense as part of our story. In addition, we wanted to add features like vibration to create a more multi-sensory experience, rather than just a visual one and you can’t buy those off the peg!”
