Digital Projection carries out its first installation with MLS projection at the HIVE
The Center for Immersive Visualization and Electronic Research (HIVE) of the Curtin University has updated its Dome and Cylinder screens with Satellite Modular Laser System projectors (MLS) of Digital Projection.
The Center for Immersive Visualization and Electronic Research (HIVE) of the Curtin University (Perth – Australia Occidental) supports research, pioneering space exploration, health sciences, education and engineering. Recently, has marked another milestone with the world's first installation of projectors Satellite Modular Laser System (MLS) de Digital Projection.
The HIVE is one of the most advanced display facilities of its kind and the only one to feature five different large-scale displays. His work with technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, data visualization and scientific, 3D photogrammetric reconstruction and volumetric imaging, have been used to help patients with spinal cord injuries, research consumer behavior and create virtual shipwreck experiences.
"First of all, It is a safe environment (sandbox) offering the opportunity to explore a wide range of options in visualization technology for research projects in all areas of specialization. The facilities were created in 2013, “So it was time to update their audiovisual systems with the latest projection technology.”, explains Andrew Woods, Associate Professor and HIVE Manager at Curtin University.
The HIVE viewing facilities, located in an old exhibition space of 15×15 metros, They comprise five types of screen configurations: Dome, Cylinder, Wedge, Tiled y Hologram Table.
Dome is a half dome screen with 4 meters in diameter, that fills the user's primary and peripheral field of vision. Cylinder is an immersive 3D virtual reality experience for up to 50 users. Wedge consists of a pair of 3D screens 3,8 meters diagonal which is mainly used for scientific visualization. Tiled presents a resolution of 24 MP and is used for very high resolution images. And Hologram Table offers two users 3D images that are projected from the surface of a table. The upgrade project focused on the Dome and Cylinder displays.
“In the HIVE, Cylinder is the star system of the installation. It uses three projectors to illuminate a 180º cylindrical projection screen. 3 meters high by 8 in diameter. With its update, what we wanted was to increase its resolution to use native 4K projectors, which would provide a quadrupling of the displayed pixels, and increase brightness. All this without compromising the stereoscopic 3D capacity of 120 Hz offered by the screen”, clarifies Woods.
After speaking with Digital Projection, the team of InDesign Technologies, project consultant, realized that Digital Projection's Satellite MLS solution was the projection system that met HIVE requirements (4Full K with compatibility 120 Hz, and without being subject to the exclusion zones that would be necessary with a class laser product. 3).
“Digital Projection's MLS was still in development as a technology when talks began”, remembers Tanya Hall, business development director of integrated solutions Amber Technology, Digital Projection distributor in Australia and New Zealand.
Hall collaborated with Woods, InDesign, the integrator Vizcom Technologies and Emilia Mihatov, regional sales director of Digital Projection, to discuss and outline the technological requirements of the project, and with Vioso to develop a solution that would adapt to the installation requirements of the HIVE Cylinder display.
The MLS separates the light source from the small, lightweight projector head, offering more freedom to integrators, especially when space and access are limited, while reducing noise and heat in the public area. This technology makes high-end RGB laser lighting accessible for any budget..
In the H.I.V.E., Three Satellite MLS systems have been installed on the Cylinder display, and another one in the Dome. Taking advantage of the modular nature of these projectors, that allow a separation of up to 100 meters between the projection head and the light source, InDesign was able to hang the satellite projector heads in the exhibition spaces, while the light sources were placed at about 15 meters away in a server room that houses the rest of the audiovisual and computer equipment.
“It was important that the projectors had the least possible sound impact in the space”, aclara Scott Wrightson, project manager at Vizcom Technologies. “This made Satellite MLS systems essential. By having the main laser processor housed in the central communications room, the operating noise level of the heads was very low, which was ideal for this project”.
Working with such new technology came with certain challenges.. Projectors required special lenses that, then, They did not have any local distributor, but with the help of Emilijo Mihatov from Digital Projection, Amber Technology was able to contact the lens manufacturer and establish a commercial agreement to bring them to Australia.
In the same way, with the sophisticated mixing requirements for the cylindrical component of the project, Amber was able to contact Vioso through Digital Projection and get the mixing stations I needed.
Physical mounting positions also proved to be a problem, Remember Wrightson?, as complete structural reinforcement was necessary to get the mounting beams in the correct positions for the Cylinder and Dome screens.
“With this mounting solution, some environmental vibrations were also produced from the building's air conditioning and ventilation systems”, prosigue Wrightson, “which was especially noticeable when using the Jenoptik fisheye lens in the Dome screen area, so we had to design and build a custom lens collar to override them.”.
For HIVE, The improvement of the audiovisual system is an important step forward for a facility whose work revolves around high-impact images. “Ultimately, our goal is for the HIVE screens to be essentially invisible to the user, and are limited to offering a window to a different world”, Woods adds.. «Our goal is to put incredible images on the blank canvas of these screens, that support our users' applications and research projects.".
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