World’s First 3D Stereo Planetarium Opens in Hawai‘i

Hilo, HI, January 16, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Sky-Skan today announced the upgrade of the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Planetarium to definiti® 3D status with four cinema-quality Sony SXRD™ 4K digital projectors, definiti HD lenses, DigitalSky 2 visualization software, and 3D technology from Infitec. As the first permanent definiti 3D theater, the ‘Imiloa Planetarium is now distinguished as the first 3D planetarium in the world. The theater is open to both the public and scientists at nearby Maunakea observatories to see stars, planets, and a host of other sights with the stunning depth perception 3D (also called 3D stereo or stereoscopy) provides.

“Imagine immersing your audience in the Universe and giving them an experience unlike any they have ever had before!” said Shawn Laatsch, planetarium manager at ‘Imiloa. “definiti 3D engages our public and school audiences in new and exciting ways. The images literally jump off the screen and into the audiences’ lap! It has been truly amazing to see people’s reactions and hear their gasps of delight in the dome! definiti 3D is a wonderful research tool for the observatories of Maunakea, which are the best astronomical observatories on Earth. Astronomers will be able to fly through their observations collected at the summit, and ‘Imiloa looks forward to working with them to get these astronomical images and data sets to all definiti users.”

The ‘Imiloa Planetarium joins the family of over 80 definiti theaters worldwide and is the 8th to feature Sony SXRD 4K projectors fitted with definiti HD lenses. Each of the projectors is capable of producing 8.8 million pixels, which is equivalent to four times the resolution of today’s high-definition television. Sky-Skan’s blending technology stitches the four projectors’ video into a seamless image on the giant 52-foot diameter dome. The experience of a show, heightened with 3D depth information, is of total immersion into another world.

“We’re very pleased that Sony’s SXRD 4K projectors will be used as part of the first permanent definiti 3D system which is being installed at the ‘Imiloa Planetarium in Hawai‘i,” said Andre Floyd, marketing manager for SXRD at Sony Electronics. “We expect the system’s dynamic 4K capability coupled with 3D technology will provide audiences with spectacular imagery and an on-screen experience that’s truly immersive.”

The ability to have 3D stereo in a dome environment is the culmination of several technological achievements. Sky-Skan engineers use new filtering technology from Infitec to provide high-quality 3D stereo without the special screen coatings or clunky glasses previously required. Sleek 3D glasses allow for a wide-angle view of the 4,000 square foot dome screen. DigitalSky 2 software’s real-time graphics are already in 3D—they just needed a projection system that could show the 3D depth information on the screen. The software automatically adjusts the 3D depth effect for the wide range of visuals that might appear in a real-time show, from tiny molecules to stellar distances. Playback video shows, which don't use the real-time system but take advantage of DigitalSky 2’s integrated video playback capabilities, can be shown in 3D stereo or in 2D depending on the source material. To take advantage of this groundbreaking theater, producer Mirage3D has re-created its Dawn of the Space Age to show in 3D stereo at ‘Imiloa.

Sky-Skan is pleased that the first definiti 3D customer will be both educating the public and assisting the scientific community directly. As the world’s first 3D planetarium, the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i Planetarium is now a hub of activity for a diverse set of eyes seeing the world projected as it is naturally—in full color 3D on the gigantic dome screen.

Note: The following related images are available for use:
http://www.skyskan.com/media/P000/P00060.zip
http://www.skyskan.com/media/P000/P00061.zip

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i opened in February 2006. The world-class destination intertwines the Hawaiian cultural and navigational understanding of the stars with information direct from Maunakea’s world-famous astronomy observatories. It is open to the public from 9 AM to 4 PM. For more information, visit the web site at www.imiloahawaii.org or call +1 808-969-9700.

In 1967, Sky-Skan began by bringing lively special effects to planetariums, broadening the educational capabilities of the dome theater. In the 1980s, the SPICE Automation system was developed and has became an industry standard with all types of theaters and installations worldwide relying on SPICE equipment every day. In the late 1990s, SkyVision began the digital revolution for dome theaters, turning the dome into an unlimited canvas for the first time. Today definiti theaters running DigitalSky extend the capabilities into real-time 3D and multimedia functionality. Sky-Skan maintains production and distribution facilities for shows, consultation and design staff for turnkey theater installations, support and training departments, and the renowned engineering department. Installations of definiti theaters continue to grow at a rapid pace, including The University of Notre Dame (Indiana), the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum (Washington, D.C.), the Eugenides Planetarium (Greece), the Melbourne Planetarium (Australia), and onboard the luxury ocean liner Queen Mary 2.

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