Dynamic Image Server feature of Dataton WATCHOUT used in interactive video wall display
The ‘100 innovations’ exhibition at the Tekniska museet (The National Museum of Science and Technology), Stockholm, Sweden recently won the ‘Best program for targeted audience’ category of the IDCA Awards (International Design Communication Awards).
The entire exhibition was produced by the National Museum of Science and Technology in conjunction with PS Communication and STORY Design Studio. ‘100 innovations’ showcases the most important innovations in history as voted by the Swedish people. Since its inauguration in February 2012, ‘100 innovations’ has attracted over 300,000 visitors and is scheduled to run until 2015.
A central part of the ‘100 innovations’ exhibition called ‘The Brain’ screens hourly interactive video demonstrations using none other than Dataton WATCHOUTâ„¢ multi-image and presentation software integrated with six projectors to map individual sections of video across a 6 x 12 meter curved video wall display. Music and sound effects work with the video as museum visitors select their favourite innovation, post messages and interact with what is shown on screen. At the end of each presentation, an innovation award is presented by an ‘ABB robot’. Voting is also accessible for online and virtual visitors to the museum website.
WATCHOUT dynamically engages, informs and enthrals visitors
Video content for each of the individual innovations of ‘The Brain’ exhibit was designed and created by multimedia specialists, Eyebrite Film and Visions. Systems integrator, Informationsteknik designed the system and installed the interactive video wall display.
“The really interesting thing about WATCHOUT is that we have created an information system where visitors can vote for an innovation in person or online. The information system uses a database that is integrated with the Dynamic Image Server feature of WATCHOUT that is automated to access dynamic information for display on to ‘The Brain’. The innovation selected is completely dependant on what visitors vote for which means that the show is always changing and evolving, and there is always an element of surprise. You never know what the WATCHOUT show will look like,” explains Marcus Boij, Technical Manager, Stockholm at Informationsteknik.
WATCHOUT performs projection mapping
Because the entire screen is curved, this created a challenge for the projection mapping,” explains Jan BrA¥nA¥ at Eyebrite Film and Visions.
“Another challenge solved by WATCHOUT was the ability to present text and information on each individual square, and WATCHOUT easily managed to scale text according to the size and position of the display area.”
“Thanks to WATCHOUT it was possible to do everything we wanted including combining the show elements with images, film and soundtracks, live feeds and interactive functions.”
Lars Sandlund, chief operating officer at Dataton says: “We’re delighted that our technology was used as part of this award winning exhibition. It demonstrates WATCHOUT’s effectiveness and flexibility in giving multimedia and exhibition designers new and engaging ways of communicating and storytelling.”
The National Museum of Science and Technology also utilises Dataton PICKUP audio guides in various exhibition areas.
A© Tekniska museet. Photography by Ellinor Algin.
