07.09.10
Projectiondesign in artistic project
The DMU Cube initiative in Leicester is a cylindrical, interactive digital canvas for emerging visual artists. It uses three projectiondesign F22 wuxga projectors in the design created by Antycip Simulation, a subsidiary of ST Electronics (Training and Simulation Systems).
The projectors were supplied to Antycip Simulation by UK distributor, RGB Communications.
Part of the city’s Phoenix Square cinema and entertainment complex, the DMU Cube is a purpose-built exhibition space designed to showcase the most progressive developments in art and technology. It is a joint venture between Leicester City Council, De Montfort University and the Phoenix Square organisation.
“The client wanted a system that was independent of the room environment, and which could be dismantled and reassembled within the show space when required,” explains John Mould, commercial development manager, Antycip Simulation. “We met this challenge by proposing a custom-built solution using three projectiondesign projectors that are automatically calibrated onto a wide field-of-view display screen, enabling the creation of a seamless image within minutes.”
At the heart of the system is a Mersive SOL server which allows a robot-mounted camera to automatically discover the display environment, and apply geometry and edge-blending calibrations directly to the Open GL-based software that ultimately delivers the visual scene once each artist has interacted with the digital canvas.
“The three projectiondesign projectors are installed on a custom truss suspended before the cylindrical screen,” Mould continues. “The F22 wqxga was chosen with short-throw lenses, reduced-segment colour wheels, and optional factory colour-matching to ensure the most consistent image quality possible.’
And John Mould concludes: “We use projectiondesign for many of our projects because they offer a high level of performance and reliability, combined with the kind of simulation-specific features that we require to deliver a high-quality solution. For this particular project, we chose the F22 wuxga because it has a small form factor and a chassis that is easy to handle – ideal for a solution that may be created and dismantled several times a year by clients.”