When the Ars Electronica Centre (AEC) first opened its doors in 1996, its agenda
was set. The ‘Museum of the Future’ wanted to bring visitor interaction and
participation to the fore, to bridge the gap between art and science by becoming an
atelier and experimental laboratory in one. Following a first modernisation and
expansion in preparation for Linz being a European Capital of Culture 2009, the
museum’s central exhibit – Deep Space – was recently completely refurbished.
The aim of the renovation was to take the existing 16 x 9 m wall and floor
projections to the next level – by transforming the exhibit’s 3D visualisations with
an 8K resolution (8,192 x 4,320 pixels), a 120 Hz frame rate and stereo 3D
technology – a world first that would be sure to enthral visitors.
Visitors are immersed in spectacular 3D simulations transporting them to, among
other things, the ancient Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala and Rome’s Invisible City.
To achieve this, Ars Electronica works with various organisations, including the BBC
and CyArk, a company that documents cultural sites using modern 3D laser
scanning technology. With the upgrade to 8K resolution, 3D images can now be
presented more accurately and in more detail. In addition, three scans of the
Scottish government-funded project Scottish Ten are being screened in Linz – a
world premiere. The aim of the project is to scan and document UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.
Andreas Bauer, the Head of Ars Electronica Centre, explains: “At the centre, visitors
move right through the exhibits themselves. The viewing distance is very small –
not at all like that of normal cinema projections. This makes larger spaces between
pixels much more noticeable.” It therefore made sense to not only replace the
projectors, but to also upgrade the current technology with a state-of-the-art 8K
resolution.
Media planning, supply and installation was provided by Christie’s long-time partner
Ton+Bild Medientechnik GmbH from Traunkirchen, Austria. “We already knew the
Ars Electronica Centre well thanks to our previous collaboration on temporary
installations, so we were familiar with the architectural constraints and unique
nature of the Deep Space experience. As a result, we could make a move on the
project with a relatively short lead time for project planning and product decisions,”
says Robert Cicek, Managing Director of Ton+Bild.
The company opted to install eight Christie Mirage 304K 3DLP projectors. “For this
special installation, the projectors needed to be 3D-capable, with high-performance
lighting and a 4K resolution. In addition, the installation needed to meet a certain
level of operation safety, because the room will receive a continuous stream of
visitors and host presentations. At the moment, these are the only projectors that
can deliver all of this.” It was especially important for the 3D stereo projection that
the projectors be able to play 120 Hz frequencies using the Christie TruLife®
Electronics platform: “Where 3D stereo projectors are concerned, images have to
be played for each eye at high speed in order to guarantee a homogeneous picture
quality with rich colours and extraordinary clarity. This was all the more important
due to the narrow distance between the viewers and the projection surfaces,”
explains Robert Cicek. The projectors were equipped with short-throw objectives
(0.9:1) with a fixed focal length.
Besides the aforementioned technical considerations, the Christie Mirage 304K’s
reliability made it the projector of choice. The Mirage 304K six-lamp system
guarantees the reliability needed, as projections can still be played in the event that
a lamp fails. “In a normal day, our projectors are used for hours at a time, so we
needed devices that are designed for continuous operation, offer high energy
efficiency and require relatively little maintenance. We also liked that the projectors
were relatively compact and quiet, as we didn’t want our projected content to be
upstaged by technical equipment, which should work very much in the background,”
says Andreas Bauer.
For the new Deep Space 8K exhibition, the company didn’t just upgrade its
hardware. It also completely reimagined its content and underlying software ahead
of the re-opening. “As there were only very few applications and videos designed
for an 8K resolution, we created our own, tailored content in our Future Lab that
could be adapted to high-resolution video,” explains Horst Hortner, Senior Director
of the Ars Electronica Future Lab.
To visualise the new point clouds for 8K, the Future Lab developed an enhanced
point cloud renderer that would make the content appear even more realistic to
visitors. “In combination with high-performance hardware and our newly developed
software, we were able to achieve a never-before-seen point density, meaning
visitors will no longer be able to discern individual points.” By implementing
different algorithms and technologies, it was also possible for the company to
present content in real time with 120 Hz and in higher resolutions. It also used the
new technology to greatly simplify additional features like virtual camera tours and
navigation within visualised objects.
“We are delighted to have worked on such a special project for what is Austria’s
first installation of the Christie Mirage 304K”, says Robert Cicek. Andreas Bauer and
the Ars Electronica team are equally impressed with the upgrade: “It has allowed us
to demonstrate the unique wonders of our Deep Space exhibit on an unprecedented,
new level. With our new hardware and software, we can offer visitors an immersive
experience and take them on a voyage to entirely new worlds”.
At its opening ceremony in August 2015, the detailed 3D depictions of the Deep
Space exhibit drew a vast audience to the centre. Once again, the Museum of the
Future was truly able to live up to its name.
