Christie, the global visual and audio technology company, has supplied its RGB pure laser projectors for an enormous, interactive exhibit in Curiosity Hall, a new experience at Da Vinci Science Center in Pennsylvania, US.
The project, designed and integrated by Ideum, features an interactive projection surface at 58 feet wide by 53 feet high, or more than 3,000 square feet. This is lit by Christie GS Series 1DLP laser projectors and M 4K25 RGB pure laser projectors.
Sparking curiosity
Da Vinci Science Center has recently reopened in a new, cutting-edge downtown location which spans 67,000 square feet. It offers over 50 interactive exhibits and events for learners of all ages.
The attraction approached Ideum in 2021 with a concept for Curiosity Hall, an immersive and participatory theatre for its new downtown home.
George Hardebeck, director of media systems, Ideum, says: “The intent of the theatre is to focus on inspiring the curiosity of da Vinci in the three major fields of his study: art, engineering, and the human body.”
Ideum collaborated with the science centre and planning and design-build firm Roto to develop a programme that seeks to inspire curiosity.
Hardebeck explains: “From there, we designed a technical platform and the infrastructure to support not only the projection screen but also the nine Ideum 43” Drafting II kiosks that allow the audience to create characters for the immersive worlds. We also designed the network infrastructure to support this technically complex system.”
Ideum deployed three Christie 25,300 lumen M 4K25 RGB pure laser projectors with UHD 4K resolution and five 11,850 lumen DWU1100-GS laser projectors with WUXGA resolution to light the massive screen.
“Guests can create 3D interactive content on Ideum’s kiosks, including Renaissance-inspired self-portraits and modern flying machines, or explore the kinetics of the human body,” says Hardebeck. “All areas of study throughout da Vinci’s life. Once created, these are launched onto the 3,000 square-foot projection screen and take on a life of their own!”
With nine kiosks, the Hall has a capacity of 216 visitors an hour.
Complex interactive display
Creating a continuous image on the huge canvas was no easy task. Considerable testing was needed to choose and mix projectors with different resolutions.
Hardebeck shares: “To prepare as best as possible, we set up a smaller rig on scaffolding in our offices in New Mexico using small format consumer projectors with similar specs (though much less bright!) to test the pipeline thoroughly. We also built in plenty of time with the final projectors once rigged to work out any problems.”
The installation took four months to complete, including deployment, testing, and media evaluation for the system.
“Prototyping a 3,000 square foot projection isn’t always possible, so we got loaner projectors from Christie multiple times during the two years of production to do scale tests on the exterior surface of a local brewery!” adds Hardebeck.
Ideum covered three-quarters of the vast surface with M 4K25 RGB projectors and concentrated on a smaller area with DWU1100-GS projectors. This enabled the firm to increase the projection surface from 48 to 58 feet and achieve greater pixels per inch (PPI) at the floor.
Patrick Ellis, senior territory sales manager, Christie, says: “Curiosity Hall is a masterpiece of creativity, technology, and innovation. Ideum has created yet another stunning interactive display, and we’re thrilled to have helped them in the journey to bring this exhibit to fruition.”
The end result has been enthusiastically received by both the science centre and its visitors. The exhibit takes 30 minutes to cycle through three presentations, Self Portraits, Flying Machines, and Fit Kids, and many visitors remain in the exhibit for the entire time.
Last month, Christie shared that its HS Series 1DLP laser projectors are being used in a spectacular immersive experience at La Selva. This educational geodesic dome was created to promote appreciation and conservation of the Colombian rainforests.
