Immersive Vision Theatre

Facilitating a range of learning, entertainment and research activities
Seating inside the Immersive Vision Theatre

The IVT is a transdisciplinary instrument for the manifestation of (im)material and imaginary worlds.

Rebirth

The University of Plymouth’s William Day Planetarium (built in 1967) has been reborn as a 35 seat Immersive Vision Theatre (IVT).
Following a £200k technical overhaul, made available through University of Plymouth UKRI World Class Laboratories (WCL) award and working with GaiaNova, the IVT is a ‘Fulldome’ architecture that houses 2 Satellite Modular Laser System (Remote Light Engine) projectors, each fitted with a ‘fisheye‘ lens and 10.1 audio system.
Customised powerful computers wrap data, models, video and images around the inner surface of the dome to create shared immersive experiences.
The IVT is used for a range of learning, entertainment and research activities, including transdisciplinary teaching, bleeding edge research in modelling and data visualisation.

What is Fulldome?

Fulldome is the term used to describe domed projection environments, traditionally found in planetariums. Fulldomes are not panoramas, CAVEs or Oculus Rifts (although many of the underlying technologies are the same), they provide a unique and highly immersive shared audience experience using single fisheye or multi projector systems.
The Fulldome is emerging from its planetarium shaped incubator into a brave new world of digital projectors, real-time visualisation software, independent content producers and transdisciplinary collaborations. As these technologies and practices evolve you are just as likely to find a VJ in a dome as you are an astronomer.
The new system and configuration of our theatre compliment the design of Real Ideas Devonport Market Hall fulldome and offers increased compatibility for production workflows, experimentation and training.

A shared virtual reality

We can fly you to the edge of the observable Universe, through microscopic architectures and nano-landscapes, or immerse you in interactive data-scapes and simulations. We deliver shows for for schools, colleges and community groups and can tailor content to specific learning and curricula requirements.
For future bookings and project queries please contact: ivt@plymouth.ac.uk

The thing’s hollow - it goes on forever - and - oh my God! - it’s full of stars!

Arthur C Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey
Immersive Vision Theatre
CFP 7 Immersive vision theatre
Immersive Vision Theatre

Supporting research

The Immersive Vision Theatre supports several areas of research. These range from assisting Devon-based SMEs with creative thinking to address big data and environmental challenges to design, development and application of software and hardware that augments, evaluates and increases public engagement of cultural experiences.
Discover more by following the links below:
The Environmental Futures and Big Data Impact Lab
CFP 9 Immersive vision theatre interior
Quorum: Cultural Computation
Inside i-DAT's Tate Modern installation This Is Where We Are (TIWWA) - an immersive and interactive algorithmic sculpture fuelled by the data we collectively generate.
South West Creative Technology Network
Billennium by Paul Blakemore
Digital Fabrication and Immersive Media Laboratories
3D printer, digital fabrication laboratory
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