inVerge 2007

Immersive, Collaborative and Sentient Spaces: The Coming Revolution in Destination Entertainment

A revolution is afoot in how we think about and interact with computer-based content. Currently the internet, online social networks, and user generated virtual worlds all lure us into a computer-based world while diverting us from our immediate physical space. Recent developments in augmented reality technologies are bringing the computer “out of the box,” immersing groups of people in powerful interactive spaces projected onto real-world architectural environments. Advanced displays and photonic user interfaces allow intuitive, hands-free, gesture-based controls and 3D images without the need of controllers, glasses, or special skills. Examples of group immersive environments are presented, ranging from immersive theaters and mobile domes to emerging virtual reality nightclubs and other “sentient spaces.” In addition to traditional branding, it is shown how these interactive environments can extend popular online brands into tangible, real-world experiences.