XL's project managers Phil Goddard and Robin Evans combined seamless plasmas with conventional 85 inch screens and MiStrips to produce a highly innovative exhibition environment as well as a visually enticing display on the outside of the venue.
The novel mobile brand activation space is a concept created by brand engineers Proud Robinson and designed by Jump Studios, Constructed from four specially modified sea freight containers sitting widthways behind one another. Another two containers on top of these provide a control / technical area and a coffee terrace / lounge.
The 125 x 1.5m MiStrips are wrapped around the outside of the two most visible exterior perimeter sides of the activation space, rigged vertically in planter style troughs 150mm apart. They are triggered by inputs from heat sensing cameras detecting the movement of people around the space, which are fed into a server supplied, programmed and controlled by Peter Hellicar and Joel Gethin Lewis of Hellicar & Lewis.
The multiple plasma screens are an integral part of the overall venue design concept and relay a myriad of information, from statistics about the vehicle to camera and GPS feeds tracking one of the highly eco-friendly and affordable LEAF vehicles which is being driven around the host city.
The reception area features a four panel wide by two high seamless plasma wall behind the registration pod, and in the exhibition area itself is a four panel wide by three high Orion Infinite seamless plasma display.
The latter is flanked by two portrait mounted Panasonic 85 inch plasmas.
Three Catalyst media servers are feeding video content to the two seamless plasma walls, while Mini Mac servers run the technical information - in endless loops - out to the 85 inch screens.
Content shown in the reception includes the live GPS feed from the LEAF being driven around, together with images from a 3D driver experience taking place from another vehicle in the exhibition centre itself.
XL has also installed a flexible custom fibre cable system to run data throughout the exhibition venue which can be broken down, split and easily moved along with the containers.
XL's Ben Songhurst has programmed and operates the Catalysts, remaining on site throughout the full period of the LEAF event. He is joined by two additional XL engineers for the set up and tear-downs.
(Jim Evans)
