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Mediatecture: Coming to a Starbase Near You
"Mediatecture." It's a word you won't find in the dictionary (yet), but if you have ever been a fan of starships and starbases you might know it as a "holodeck" - another word not in the dictionary.
What the dictionary doesn't know is that "mediatecture" is the synergy of electronic media and architecture. It's basically the melding of virtual and real spaces so that a building, or its interior walls, are the surface for displaying media.
Think it's far-fetched? Well, companies like Disney, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. and Seaworld Parks and Entertainment would beg to differ, as would numerous museums around the world. In Europe, Aether Architecture (www.aether.hu) is continually pushing the limits. You might also be interested in InteractiveArchitecture.org.
Indeed. A/V may someday let you boldly go where no one has gone before. And when that happens, it will most likely be mediatecture that helps get you there.After all, who has time to wait around for a starship to be built.
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Videowalls Taking on a Life of Their Own
As expectations for videowalls continue to grow, so does the complexity of the technology that drives them.
Today, the technology is running the gamut from thin-bezel, flat-panel LCD screens to modular LED projection tiles, traditional cubes and rear-projection screens to new laser phosphor display solutions. Behind that are a host of video switchers, scalers and processors that ensure the right content goes to the right part of the videowall at the right time.
Unlike most traditional audio/visual systems, today's videowalls are as much about software and content as they are about all of that hardware. There are packaged software solutions available for videowalls, but at times, custom programming may be required.
And, believe it or not, traditional HD video may no longer be good enough. Many videowalls are calling for much higher resolutions than 1080p, which requires the content that goes on the screens to match. That means reaching beyond the technology gurus and connecting with content and graphics people - as they will need to create materials to match the wall's aspect ratio, resolution and overall capabilities.
Adding to this complexity is location. Videowalls can't go just anywhere. From cabling and power to ventilation and rack space, a very thorough site survey needs to take ALL of the potential issues into account.
Indeed, expectations have grown significantly over the years - as has the technology. So much so, that you can now make almost anything happen on a videowall...as long as you have the budget to match
your imagination.
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Signs May Never be the Same
Directional signs. You know the look.A big arrow with the name of a room (or something similar) commanding you to go "This Way."
Well, no more. That's completely old school. Today it's called "wayfinding" and the signs that are helping you find your way are software-driven electronic monitors that are doing a lot more than guiding you toward "Point B."
Digital signage can be interactive with users, print out information/directions and instantly change messages - whether there is one sign or 100 (or more).Multiple languages are not a problem and neither is compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Long, wide, big or small, there are lots of options for digital signage to complement the aesthetics of the surrounding environment -- whether the building is new or it's a historical landmark - like many of the courthouses in which ExhibitOne installs audio/visual solutions.
There is both a science and art to "wayfinding." The art comes in the form of software that drives the digital signage and the messaging itself. The science is all about seamlessly integrating the technology into an environment.
"To be effective, signage needs to be at the critical traffic points in a building," said ExhibitOne President and CEO, Kevin Sandler, "Otherwise people start wandering around and become frustrated. Getting it just right pays huge dividends."
Courthouses are a prime example. People don't visit them often, but when they do, they are likely to be stressed and emotionally charged. As a part of the overall "customer centric" design of a new courthouse in Mesa, Arizona, ExhibitOne integrated the facility's digital signage. Recently, national experts declared the building to be among the safest in the country. Not because of its security, but because visitors were managed efficiently in quiet and pleasant surroundings.
Now, when have you ever heard of an arrow pointing "this way" being able to do something like that?
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3D: Is It Ready for Prime Time?
Best Buy says their 4th quarter 2010 earnings were affected by slow sales of products like 3D TVs. Perhaps the technology is not as ready for prime time as many people hoped. But that hasn't diminished the value of 3D in other markets. Take education for example.
According to Mitsubishi Digital Electronics, studies are showing that 3D-enhanced classrooms are having a positive impact on student learning and test scores. Boulder Valley School District in Colorado is in the process of equipping classrooms in its 55 schools with 3D classroom projection. The district says it is transforming the classroom experience as they take advantage of 3D curriculum content that is becoming more available.
The University of Western Ontario's health sciences facilities contain a simulated hospital ward with eight beds, an intensive care unit and a 3D virtual reality theater. The school describes the theater as "the imagination tool of the millennium."
Hospitals like the concept as well. They are beginning to buy into 3D surgical visualization systems that allow surgeons to view a surgical procedure on a high-resolution monitor instead of looking through a microscope.
In past decades, 3D has always turned out to be a passing fad.
And while consumers still seem to be not sure of what to make of 3D - schools, hospitals, museums, military, research, engineering and others in the industry are finding there's a lot to like about today's 3D technology. Based on the significant investments now going into 3D - whether it is in your living room or not, you can be confident that 3D is finally here to stay.
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