The 'Immersive TV' project’ by Indra integrates the user with the action that is broadcast on TV

Indra's 'Immersive TV' R&D&i project achieves for the first time the natural interaction of the user with the action that is broadcast on television, with 3D objects, home automation, lightning, etc.

The technological multinational Indra has presented, in collaboration with other companies and entities, the results of the R&D&i project 'ImmersiveTV', in which immersive digital content production technologies have been developed to promote the viewer's feeling of integration with television, far beyond current 3D techniques.

The CeDInt facilities of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) have been the setting chosen to discover 'Immersive TV' by the consortium of companies that have carried it out coordinated by Indra, which has had a global budget of 2,7 million euros, co-financed by the Ministry of Industry within the framework of the Avanza Competitividad plan.

'Immersive TV' channels not only the usual signals (audio and video) television, but other additional ones such as 3D objects, statistical information, documentation or signage of home automation devices.

The combination of these techniques provides depth to vision, with surround sound systems. In this way, The system is part of a new type of applications that reserves a primary role for the user who, through interactivity, You can exercise greater control over multimedia content.

Advertising and home automation integration

The immersive platform also provides new functionalities in relation to the systems currently on the market., how to integrate advertising, el product-placement (insertion of a product, brand or message within the program narrative), o merchandising, through 3D objects and content-related information.

The solution consists of software that can be installed on a television receiver or decoder (STB), middleware, content delivery network (CDN) or on a TV device. Its main advantage is its ability to integrate elements and systems into a single platform., becoming an ideal solution for any future project that needs to develop an immersive environment, since the system is easily extensible.

'Immersive TV' turns to additional devices, as home automation actuators, and environmental control devices, to increase the immersive feeling, since it is possible to configure the environmental variables of the “home automation/immersive room”, like lighting, air conditioning, smells and even movement (through home automation furniture connected to the immersive home automation gateway).

All this sensory management, which allows the viewer to immerse themselves in the audiovisual content in a more real way., which is already defined as “4D immersive television”.

Pilot projects

The immersive experiences have been carried out through two complementary pilots, the 'Cave Stage', in which the viewer physically enters the scene and can interact with the content that surrounds them; and the 'Living Room Stage', reflecting future home environments.

The first is based on the 'virtual cave' installed at the UPM (Montegancedo campus); an innovative space made up of three screens where the viewer is physically present in the scene and can interact with the content that surrounds them.

The viewer contemplates the projection of 3D images and the real-time insertion of objects within the scene, I stop what uses non-direct content, since these facilities do not have the possibility of receiving emissions, through video reproductions adapted to a projection system.

For this pilot, a stereoscopic HD recording of Diagonal Avenue in Barcelona has been chosen., which includes some additional content intended to complement the user experience, facilitating your interaction with the system, such as 3D models and photographs, with descriptive audio tracks.

The second pilot, the 'Living Room Stage', allows you to transfer the experience to your own home, reflecting a domestic living room 'of the future' that receives content via broadband and broadcast. The immersive sensation is based on 3D content and home automation elements, like sensors, 3D audio systems, ambient lighting and accent lighting, aroma and smoke diffusers, even the performance with furniture elements such as the sofa.

In this case, The chosen content is a professional football match broadcast on a large format screen. Among other applications, The system allows the user to know statistics of the match, repetition of the most important plays, access interactive advertising, select a player and view information associated with him, visualize in detail different parts of your clothing and, even, proceed to purchase an item.

Besides, Home automation effects have also been included in a second 3D sequence of this pilot, showing modernist monuments of the city of Canet de Mar, in order to show its applications for all types of content.

Both pilots “represent an innovative advance in the world of leisure and entertainment.”, that opens the door in Spain to a new market for the production and consumption of content, immersion based, that is not yet being exploited in the traditional consumer market”, those responsible point out.

It would also open up new possibilities in other areas., such as cognitive immersion to help people with special needs; guidance systems for surgery or telesurgery; marketing and e-commerce initiatives that include virtual product tours or testing; augmented reality systems that facilitate viewer understanding at events or immersive videoconferencing applications.

Creating interactive services

Besides, Indra is a reference for the R&D&i project 'Adapta', that develops technologies so that recipients of audiovisual media interact with personalized digital content in different scenarios of daily life.

The company also coordinates the international R&D&I project 'SeniorChannel', to create an interactive Internet television channel aimed at older people and in which this group can enjoy personalized content, interact, etc.

The Polytechnic universities of Madrid and Valencia and the companies Agile Contents have participated in the 'Immersive TV' project., Eumobile (MediaPro group), Ericsson and Inmomática.