SCIENCE CINEMA

The Evolution of Planetariums. Part 3

Planetarium of the next generation in VR

So, we already follow the way from the first classical planetariums to portable ones that were aimed at making the service more available for kids and adults around the globe. Though, the creators of portable planetariums managed to complete their goal, they couldn't save the perfect quality of a picture using LCD or PLD projectors. We wanted to improve this disadvantages to continue helping children to learn more about the world by watching the scientific films created for planetariums. And we found a solution in the virtual reality technology.

Virtual reality is a world created by technical means which is transferred to humans through the sensory channels: a sense of smell, touch, hearing, eyesight, and others. Virtual Reality imitates both impact and its reaction.

In 1962, the first virtual simulator called Sensorama was designed by Morton Heilig. It was a very heavy machine that looked like arcades of the '80s and let the audience to experience the immersion in virtual reality. The real boom began only in 2012. This year, a little-known startup Oculus launched a fund-raising campaign at Kickstarter to make to first VR helmet. The developers promised users the effect of full immersion through the use of displays with 640×800 pixels resolution for each eye.

The necessary sum of money has been collected for 4 hours. 3 years after, the sales of the first VR helmet Oculus Rift CV1 has started. To say that this release was expected is to say nothing. The first batch has been sold out for 14 minutes.

The large companies release their own VR devices, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, Samsung) and develop the exclusive games for it. What if we can help VR to leave the game space? That was one of the ideas we had.

Virtual Reality has been implemented in many spheres so far such as medicine, army, corporate training, real estate industry and others. Education is not an exception. Our idea assumed that the fulldome content would be transferred to the virtual environment. We digitized the real dome of a planetarium and created a real copy of it in virtual reality.

The software is easy to use. It allows launching VR programs (that is how we call the fulldome shows created by content studios such as Aayushii Fulldome Films, ESO, Zeiss, MetaSpace and etc.) for the whole class synchronously. The application supports the work with 30 devices. Students put the helmets on and watch the films their teacher chose. The software's owners cooperate with all educational facilities which are interested in the organization the supplementary events for increasing the motivation of students. It's usually the schools, kindergartens, summer camps, language schools and any places which are often visited by kids.

VR Planetarium saves both perfect quality of a picture as in the most expensive classical planetariums and mobility of portable planetariums. One more thing that differs Science Cinema from the other planetarium is an effect of full immersion based on virtual reality technology that will definitely conquer the heart of children.

We are ready to offer a 14-days trial to experience three VR programs on different topics: "The Incredible Sun", "The Light", "Phantom of the Universe". Leave a request and dive into the virtual world with us!

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