As the O2's official automobile partner, the attraction is part of the brand's three year partnership with O2 owners, AEG. This entertainment experience showcases Nissan's new zero-emission, fully electric car LEAF, with a number of pods and kiosks designed to inform and entertain visitors, who are able to ride in driving simulators, design a car virtually and play interactive games aimed at boosting understanding of electric vehicles.
Feltech won a competitive bid to provide full multimedia including audio (and voice evac) and cabling over Cat 5. All media feeds are transported over DVI.
Responsible for developing the overall concept and design of this new space - along with software development company Kin Design - Lodestar called in the AV integrators to provide the projectors and multimedia hardware. A GestureTek interactive floor and wall, distributed in the UK by Paradigm AV, had already been specified by Kin Design, and the software developers also created the educational and navigational content.
As visitors pass the LED signage in the main concourse, they enter the indigo blue entrance area. Here they are immersed in a digital 'cornfield', while interaction with the bubbles swirling across the Gesture FX floor - designed to emulate a pool of water - brings up different messages.
The giant 7020mm x 2700mm interactive dual projection backdrop, soft-edge blended and running GestureTek Dazzler software, is addressed by a pair of Panasonic PT-D6000 projectors, with semi short throw lens, taking feeds from one of the many PC's in the giant computer room - all fitted with graphics cards.
Meanwhile, firing directly onto the interactive floor, running Flash content, Feltech have chosen a Panasonic PT-D5000 with short throw lens, recessed behind the ceiling void.
After passing through the 'Jungle of Opinion', where visitors activate the various workstations with their personalized passcards, they arrive at one of the most popular features: the GestureTek AirPoint. A newer and more compact version of GestureTek's HoloPoint hand-tracking unit for mouse replacement, these touchless interactive displays create a tracking area out of thin air, and instantly pick up the user's finger when gesturing above for 'point to click' interactivity.
After its first month the Innovation Station is reporting a healthy footfall, justifying the six figure investment. Open daily from 12pm-8pm the projectors are powered up and down respectively under automatic Crestron control.
(Jim Evans)
