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project: syntropy unveils VIRTUALITY details

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project syntropy VIRTUALITY Science Centre Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Architecture Rendering

Company highlights science centre‘s key features

project:syntropy, creator of technology and display solutions for dome cinemas and immersive attractions, has announced details of the major media-based installations it delivered for the VIRTUALITY science centre in the Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC) of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The company was commissioned for the project by AL ASILA Co.

A brand new technology museum, the innovative planetarium venue tells the story of IT and communications through a collection of interactive, media-based attractions. Amongst its notable features are advanced robotics, simulators, a 4D “fulldome” with 3D sound and other interactive science centre-style exhibits. 

An accompanying smartphone app will be available to provide further information for the science centre and to enable enhanced interactivity between guests and these displays.

Building Tour

Visitors arrive at a welcome area on the ground floor where they can purchase tickets and merchandise, or have a snack at the Calligraphy Cafe, where diners can practice the art of calligraphy on interactive touch tables. Autonomous robots will welcome and assist guests, with the ability to guide them through exhibitions.

The first floor is based around the theme “The Art of Information”. Setting the stage for the pre-show, it features the “immersive virtuality” Core Theatre which details the historic context of communication, alongside the large multitouch “info ribbon” with a dynamic organic interface. Both installations were developed and delivered for the science centre by project:syntropy. 

project syntropy VIRTUALITY Science Centre Riyadh Saudi Arabia Dome Rendering

Various other displays including sense spheres for tasting, smelling and touching, pepper’s ghost illusion installations, communication devices and “mind capsules” add further dimensions to the guest journey on this floor.

“Body Talks” is the second-floor theme, featuring interactive gaming stations to train both the body and mind. Immersive simulators recreate experiences such as paragliding and driving a formula one car.

The third floor, “Data Cloud”, allows visitors to experience alternative forms of information visualisation through immersive CAVEs as well as many mechanical and cybernetic installations and interactive furnishings. Project: syntropy delivered the four-sided 3D CAVE and the interactive floor installation

On the final floor of the science centre lies the main attraction, the DOME. The main attraction, this show provides an outlook into the future of information and data clouds. The fulldome, delivered by project:syntropy, features 3D-stereo projection, 3D audio sound and 4D seats for realistic and immersive planetarium shows.

project syntropy VIRTUALITY Science Centre Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Dome Rendering
The DOME Rendering

Technological highlights

project:syntropy has been involved with most of the new museum’s key exhibits, including:

  • The DOME – A 16m tilted 3D-Stereo fulldome system featuring twenty-four-channel WUXGA projection, Infitec 3D, an Iosono 3D audio system, media servers, lighting, show control, domeprojection.com ProjectionTools autocalibration and planetarium shows. 
  • Info-Ribbon – A large seamless Moebius-shaped multitouch surface featuring eight-channel WUXGA projection, and multitouch interaction based on sensors plus a dedicated camera-based multitouch detection. project: syntropy also programmed an organic graphical multi-user interface, seamlessly moving along the entire surface.
  • CAVE – A four-sided CAVE (sized 2.1 x 2.8 metres) with 8-channel 3D-Stereo projection, optical tracking, render nodes and uniview software for the production of content. 
  • Interactive floor – Utilising four-channel WUXGA projection, project: syntropy’s camera-based tracking solution and an interactive application with real-time 3D content. 
  • VIRTUALITY Core Theatre – A 360° projection experience featuring nine-channel WUXGA projection, 5.1 audio, a playout and content authoring solution with domeprojection.com ProjectionTools autocalibration.

project:syntropy will be present at the upcoming Saudi Entertainment Expo in Riyadh scheduled for 16-18 May 2022. More details can be found on the event’s website.

Last summer, project:syntropy developed the virtual aquarium, a new immersive dome attraction for leisure owners and operators.

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Adam Whittaker

Adam studied Marketing and Advertising Management at Leeds Beckett University. Originally from Lancashire and now based in Norfolk, UK, you can usually find him appreciating art deco design or on a roller coaster.

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