Top 4 things to consider when creating an immersive experience
Top 4 things to consider when creating an immersive experience
Thomas Vertommen looks at how choosing the right technology can make or break an experience.
The key trend for immersive experiences is transforming the location-based entertainment world, from theme parks to museums, art galleries and exhibitions. But what makes for a great immersive experience and, when creating one, how can we best use technology?
Blend your way to success
The most immersive experiences often require large scale images which surround the visitor with content, filling their vision. This is achieved by seamlessly blending images from multiple projectors to look like one single image. It sounds simple, but it’s not an easy task to achieve.
The secret to creating a truly immersive experience is that the blended images must always look natural. This means uniformity in brightness across the entire image and even colours – without any distractions or blemishes that could break the connection with the viewer.
To successfully blend images, it is important that all the chosen projectors produce the same levels of visual quality and can be matched to one another seamlessly. The ability to stay consistently uniform over time is important because the projectors may be being used up to 20 hours a day, every day, for months or years.
Brightness, colour saturation and image clarity are all areas to examine. It is also vital to ensure that the blending remains uniform, even with warping techniques applied. Image warping (geometric correction) is a technique used to make an image look visually correct when it is projected onto an irregular surface.
Look for a projector manufacturer that provides geometric software. This will simplify tasks such as lens adjustment and projector alignment, geometric correction, edge blending, uniformity adjustment, brightness control, colour matching adjustment and masking.
Pay attention to the smallest details
As well as the impact of large, singular images on the immersive experience, another technological development that has significantly helped in creating realistic immersive experiences is the increase in image resolution.
Imagine visiting a museum to see a master painting, such as the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. As you look at the image, it is not just the overall image that is fascinating. It is being able to see the brush strokes, how the paint sits on the canvas and the minuscule details. With the higher resolutions available from projectors today, this same immersive experience can be replicated.
An important consideration when creating your immersive experience is the choice of projector technology and resolutions. These can range from projectors with 4K input capability, to projectors with 1-axis and 2-axis wobbling technology, and the ultimate projectors with Native 4K chipsets for top-of-the-range resolution.
Always get advice from the experts on the best solution for your venue and budget. Carefully choose the right technology to meet the specific needs of your application.
Never break the illusion
When creating something that will transport a visitor to another place, time or world, it’s important to never break the illusion of an immersive experience. The projection technology must be as invisible as possible. There are a number of important elements to consider here, such as projector placement and noise levels.
The size of similarly specified projectors, from different manufacturers, can vary greatly. Look for projectors that are powerful, yet compact, to minimise the visual impact of the technology. Another important consideration is noise levels, which again can vary greatly. A noisy fan cooling a projector in a confined space can be an immediate distraction for visitors.
Lastly, and possibly most importantly, look for projectors with a range of lens options available. Short throw lenses, for example, can be critical in ensuring the illusion remains intact. They are ideal for projecting from the ceiling or for avoiding the creation of shadows when visitors stand up close to a large image.
Reliability matters
Reliability is a critical consideration when creating an immersive experience.
In most attraction and entertainment venues, the projectors could be operating for extended periods. Downtime or black screen time costs money and ultimately leads to customer dissatisfaction. So, choose a projector manufacturer that builds reliability into their devices, offers extended warranties, remote monitoring via the Internet of Things and on the ground expert support. These are all essential considerations.
Get to know more about the essential considerations for creating a stunning immersive experience for your venue.
Read more insights…
blog
The role of projection in LBE
The idea for the Ephesus Experience Museum was conceived two years ago, propelled by the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of the region. Led by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and DEM museums, this ambitious endeavour aimed to digitally reconstruct Ephesus, offering visitors a glimpse into its moments of grandeur (Ephesus Archaeological Site, close to Selçuk, at 500 Km from Istanbul, welcomed 2 million visitors in 2023)
whitepaper
Technology Guide for Themed Entertainment and Immersive Spaces
The Projector Technology Guide for Themed Entertainment and Immersive Spaces aims to break down the different elements of a successful immersive experience.
article
Panasonic Projectors Bring Ancient Ephesus To Life At Immersive Experience Museum
The Panasonic DLP laser projectors were selected by the Turkish Museum for their 4K resolution and high brightness, essential for the museum’s large-scale projections.
Case Study
Ephesus Experience Museum Brings History to Life with Panasonic DLP Projectors
Creating a modern immersive experience museum for the 3m visitors a year visiting the archaeological site of the ancient city of Ephesus was a major challenge. The Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism wanted to ensure that the building was sensitively constructed at the UNESCO site while bringing to life the thriving ancient trading centre, one of the most important in the Mediterranean region.
Sorry there was an error...
The files you selected could not be downloaded as they do not exist.
You selected items.
Continue to select additional items or download selected items together as a zip file.
You selected 1 item.
Continue to select additional items or download the selected item directly.
Share page
Share this link via:
Twitter
LinkedIn
Xing
Facebook
Or copy link: