The Discovery Cube in Los Angeles leverages technology to create an immersive learning experience for children.
“Our mission is to engage and educate, and these exhibits are the tools that help kids learn,” says Kellee Preston, vice president of operations at the Discovery Cube.
Nowhere is the center’s mission more evident—or breathtaking—than its centerpiece exhibit: a 4D theater that combines crystal-clear 3D video with other sensory stimulation, such as fragrances and fog, that complement the footage onscreen. The content includes the “Aquavator” that simulates a subterranean descent below the earth’s surface and a virtual helicopter tour of the L.A. area that makes it feel like you’re actually flying. To make the content seem true to life, the Discovery Cube needed technology that allowed the different elements, both hardware and software, to meld in a way that wasn’t previously possible.
The Discovery Cube brought in Edwards Technologies Inc. (ETI) to develop a solution that would fit all of its needs, including a simple way to swap out content, impeccable image quality, and low total cost of ownership.
ETI is known for its Videro platform, which is a cloud system that connects an Apple Mac Pro with an ETI monitoring facility that provides technical support. The Videro platform allows ETI to remotely access content, diagnose issues, and configure playback, all without setting foot in the facility.
“Kids know what looks good, and for us as integrators, to be a success we need to create an experience that matches the quality of what they have in their pockets,” ETI Senior Engineer David Skoogs says. “Everything in this theater is geared toward how they consume content.”
