The project, called In the Eyes of the Animal, takes users on a fascinating journey that allows them to fly above the forest canopy, come face-to-face with hi-definition critters and embody various animals as they traverse the Grizedale landscape.
Through the use of virtual reality, aerial 360° drone filming, LiDAR and CT scanning, Marshmallow Laser Feast creates an experience allowing Abandon Normal Devices Festival (AND Festival) visitors to see the forest through the eyes of its creatures.
Artistically interpreting the sensory world of the animals, Marshmallow Laser Feast has built a real time system that dynamically visualizes precise LiDAR scans of the forest and CT scans of the animals.
In addition to recreating trees and plants as VR entities, MLF also added many creatures. Some were captured via a photogrammetry rig and others CT scanned by the Natural History Museum in breath-taking close-up, super hi-def detail. These scans gave MLF an opportunity to digitise the microscopic world and perspectives of forest animals using custom software.
Binaural sound design also increases the audience's sensory experience of the virtual environment by mimicking the natural perception of sound in space. People will not only be able to hear the animals' environment through headphone-delivered audio, they will also be able to 'feel' the sounds thanks to a wearable Sub Pac device that turns the audio vibrations into a tactile experience.
The ultimate goal is to create an understanding of how these animals process optical information and so give people a chance to reflect on their own visual perceptions of the forest.
Commissioned by Abandon Normal Devices and Forestry Commission England's Forest Art Works, and supported using public funding by Arts Council England and Forestry Commission England, this immersive experience marries today's technologies with the rich sculptural history of Grizedale Forest.
AND Festival took place in Grizedale Forest on 18-20 September 2015 and brings together international artists, designers, scientists and filmmakers to create artworks, experiences, trails and films that use the newest technology to give visitors fresh sensory perspectives.
Robin McNicholas, one of MLF's co-founders and creative directors, said, "Telling a story from the point of view of an animal in this immersive, 360ยบ way has been made possible by advances in technology. Aerial filming, for example, has traditionally been the preserve of Hollywood blockbusters with budgets big enough for helicopters. But new drone technology means artists can now get a slice of the action too. Thanks to AND, the Forestry Commission and the Digital R&D Fund, this has been an amazing opportunity to merge nature and technology."
(Jim Evans)
