Fireworks aren't just for the Fourth of July. Total Immersion has created an augmented reality experience for a new permanent gallery called "My Digital World," which opened on September 1 at the
Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. And for the engaged visitor, the payoff is almost incendiary.
Working in partnership with BRC Imagination Arts, Total Immersion's portion of the digital demonstration introduces exhibit-goers to the wonders of augmented reality: integrating interactive 3D graphics into a
live video stream .
Dubbed "The Augmented Reality Puzzle," a guest is given three cards, each corresponding to a three-dimensional cube puzzle piece. When a guest places the card on the table, a computer-generated video cube is displayed hovering above it. On each side of the cube, a portion of a video is played. Rotating the card causes the cube to rotate around its center axis, revealing the videos on each side. When all three cards are placed on the table and recognized by the camera, the real puzzle begins -- revealing that each video is only a section of a larger video. To see the full video, the guest must arrange the cubes in correct order on the screen. Arranging the cube correctly not only rewards the viewer with a full-screen view of the video but also with fireworks blazing across the screen.
"We were tremendously impressed with Total Immersion's technology and its ability to engage an audience," said Carmel Lewis, VP Education Experiences BRC Imagination Arts. "That's why we asked the company to develop an augmented reality experience for 'My Digital World,' knowing it belonged in a show about digital applications. It's new, it's immersive and it's sure to capture the attention and imagination of visitors young and old alike."
"For a science center, augmented reality takes the phrase 'hands-on' to another level, because this puzzle engages the viewer's senses while also delivering an experience that feels magical," said Bruno Uzzan, co-founder and CEO of Total Immersion.
The Augmented Reality Puzzle marks the first museum exhibition in America for Total Immersion, which is based in France and has recently established a base of operations in the U.S. The company was selected to develop its component of the exhibit by BRC Imagination Arts, which was commissioned by Arizona Science Center to develop the "My Digital World" gallery.
"My Digital World" is designed to introduce visitors to the science behind digital communication technologies, how they work, and how they are used to create and share ideas and information.
