*Accepted into SIGGRAPH 2014 Professional Conference*
Augmented Reality Theater is a concept for a new theater experience imagined for 5-10 years into the future. Our team utilized the emerging technology of AR, perceptual computing cameras, REVEL, and Aireal to create a tacticle immersive movie experience.
Background
This project is designed in response to the CHI 2014 Student Design Challenge: "Body Data: Designing for the quantities of the Quantified Self". Students were asked to design an object, system, interface or service to help develop and share self-awareness, and an understanding or appreciation for body data.
Design Process
Selected movie goers as core audience for design concept
- Conducted secondary literature review
- Interviewed theater managers and patrons
- Observed movie theater lobbies, IMAX theater and interactive museums
- Held a focus group to uncover capacity concerns and issues within the problem space
- Interviewed Universal Pictures Story Editor to understand feasibility of attaining design assets
Solution
Our concept derived directly from observing patrons in theaters, technology research, interviews and the focus group. We developed augmented reality glasses that would render an augmented environment to allow patrons to interact with the environment and characters from deriving from the movie they have bought tickets to view.
1. PREPARATION - Patrons are given glasses when they purchase their ticket that have perceptual computing and eye-tracking built-in to allow for interactions later in the experience.
2. BUILD UP - Patrons open the door to the theater and find themselves in a long hallway. As they walk down the hallway, the surroundings slowly start to morph into a scene from the movie. When touching the walls, everything projected feels like its real life counterpart.
3. INITIATION - Exiting the hallway, the patrons find themselves inside of an Experience Room. It is an open space where everyone interacts with characters and thematic elements from the movie. Suddenly, a scene plays out in front of the patrons. At the close of the scene, the patrons stroll into the theater.
4. CLIMAX - Once inside the theater, each patron's respective seat is highlighted through their glasses. The theater is domed, with the screen curving into the patron's periphery.
5. WINDOWN and REFLECTION - When the movie ends, patrons exit the theater out of another long hallway, with the augmented environment slowing lifting towards reality. Guests exit into a lounge, where they can decompress and reflect the experience with other guests.
CHI Deliverables: Paper and Workbook
SIGGRAPH Deliverables: Poster and Published Abstract