2020 has been a year that almost changed everything, but one thing stays the same – our appreciation of you.
Thanks to your immeasurable interest, support, and partnership, Fulldome.pro has survived this crazy ride to still be here for you. Here’s hoping that 2021 will bring success to all your ideas and projects, good health to you and your family, and continuing happiness.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Fulldome.pro team around the world.
The first optical planetarium, built in 1923 by the Zeiss company in Jena, Germany, projected onto the white plaster lining of a 16-meter diameter hemispherical concrete dome. Solid domes such as this and the many fiberglass and glass reinforced plastic domes that followed, reflect sound as well as light, detracting from the viewing experience. Most large planetarium screens are now made of perforated aluminum panels fixed to a support in frame. The thousands of tiny perforations in the screen reduce acoustic reflection and actually allow speakers to be placed behind the screen so that sound can appear to come from the appropriate direction for the video. The perforations also allow for the flow of air through the screen for climate control, preventing the build-up of moisture on the surface, which was also a problem with solid screens. However, aluminum screens are expensive and although they can be built to very large diameters, require a complex supporting frame structure.
Inflatable domes, where the air pressure inside the dome is increased to hold the screen up offer portability but, when used outdoors are prone to movement in windy conditions.
The screen is made from lightweight blackout fabric (usually polyester) and is slightly smaller than the dome frame. There may be a black border area around perimeter of the screen where it attaches to the inside of the dome frame. Usually there are also straps connecting the screen to the frame at several points, so that it will not fall on the audience or the ground when the fan is off. Larger domes may use more than one fan.
The fan is connected to the outer cover of the dome either directly or via a duct. The type of fan used is designed to operate at high volume and relatively low pressure while remaining quiet. Attenuators can be added to the fan to make it even quieter and by using ducts the fan can be located away from the dome and the audience inside it.
From traditional planetariums to the latest high-tech rides, domes put the audience at the centre of the picture. But choosing the right type of screen depends on many factors.
Before Fulldome.pro revolutionized dome projection there wasn’t much call for high quality portable dome screens. The only portable dome projection was via low-resolution, single-projector systems in inflatable domes. When Fulldome.pro introduced high-resolution, multi-projector systems with fast and automatic calibration we realised we also needed to create portable dome screens that could make the most of this technology. Inflatable domes were not up to the task, solid domes are too heavy and laborious to be easily portable and perforated aluminum is expensive and only suited to fixed installations. So, we set about making something as portable as an inflatable dome, with the projection quality of an aluminum screen. Our purpose-built geodesic domes and fabric screens soon became the envy of the dome projection world. Our engineering and sewing teams have continued to innovate, making our domes even easier to assemble and selecting new fabrics for even better projection.
When designing a new dome, we carefully select the screen fabric and choose material with the right gain to match the projection system, resulting in a bright, high-contrast image. Our sewing team stitch panels together to form a perfect hemisphere with as few seams as possible. In fact, a fabric screen usually has fewer seams than a perforated aluminum screen of the same size.
When it comes to cleaning, a fabric screen can be removed and washed or replaced in a matter of hours, while an aluminum screen will require the dome to be closed for several days or even weeks.
| Solid | Inflatable | Perforated Aluminium | Negative-pressure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Inexpensive for small domes | • Low cost • Very quick to install • Portable | • High quality • Good acoustics | • Inexpensive • Lightweight • Fast to install • Portable or permanent • Good acoustics • Easily replaced | |
| • Heavy • Poor acoustic properties • Prone to growing fungus and mould due to moisture | • Unsuitable for use outdoors in windy conditions • Will collapse on audience if fan fails | • Expensive • Difficult to install • Difficult to clean | • Screen needs to be looked after in extreme weather to prevent moisture build up • Fan consumes a small amount of electricty |
The latest innovation from Fulldome.pro is a frameless negative-pressure screen. Instead of building a frame to support the cover and create a negative-pressure envelope for the screen the cover is suspended inside the room or building and stretched outwards towards the walls and ceiling. The screen is attached around the perimeter of the cover and has some support straps connecting it to the cover. A fan is used to create negative-pressure and the screen is pushed upwards and outwards towards the cover. In some circumstances, where the room or building is well sealed it may even be possible to eliminate the outer cover and just use the building itself to create the negative-pressure envelope.
Frameless negative-pressure screens can be made in different shapes such as an elongated ‘pill’ shape, or an open-ended dome or a tunnel.
When we talk about air pressure, we usually mean positive pressure. Inflating a car tire, pumping up a basketball, and blowing up a balloon are all examples of positive air pressure – that is the air pressure inside the vessel is higher than the surrounding atmosphere.
Negative-pressure is where the air pressure in a space is lower than the surrounding atmosphere – a vacuum (or partial vacuum). One place we hear about negative-pressure is hospitals, where negative-pressure rooms are used to prevent the spread of disease. An infected person is placed in isolation in a room and the HVAC system is set up so that slightly more air is sucked out of the room than is blown in. When a door is opened for a doctor to enter, air rushes into the room to equalize the pressure, preventing possibly infected air from leaving the room. The HVAC system filters, cleans, and disinfects the air that is extracted from the room.
For a negative-pressure dome, a fan runs continuously to evacuate air from behind the screen, creating an area of low pressure. The higher air pressure inside the dome pushes the screen up towards the dome frame. The pressure required to hold a negative-pressure screen up is very low. At just 200 pascals it is less than 1 percent of atmospheric pressure, one thirtieth of the air pressure inside a party balloon, hundreds of times less than in a basketball, and thousands of ties less than the pressure of a car tire.
| Pascals | Pounds per square inch | Atmospheres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric pressure1 | 101,325 Pa | 14.7 psi | 1 atm |
| Car tire | 227,500 - 262,000 Pa | 32 – 38 psi | 2.2 – 2.6 atm |
| Basketball | 51,700 – 58,600 Pa | 7.5 – 8.5 psi | 0.5 - 0.6 atm |
| Balloon | 6900 Pa | 1 psi | 0.07 atm |
| Dome | - 200 Pa | - 0.03 psi | - 0.002 atm |
¹ Atmospheric pressure is measured in absolute terms, whereas the other pressures are relative to atmospheric pressure. Therefore the absolute pressure in a car tire is around 350,000 Pa/50 psi/3.5 atm (relative pressure of car tire, plus absolute atmospheric pressure)
Try a high-tech, modern, shared VR experience to entertain your guests. Digital projection dome and a set of 360 immersive shows for your party or corporate event.
We provide one of our best sellers, the 3-meter diameter dome for, small intimate events, or a 7-meter diameter dome for large gatherings. Special limited-time offer for events up to 3 days – all inclusive.
All of us are missing performances, concerts, and festivals.
For quite some time, we’ll be experiencing restrictions that prevent coronavirus spread, including an international travel ban.
However, we can still create and experience smaller local events and honor the CDC’s considerations for enhancing the protection of individuals and communities. And while large gatherings are still a distant dream, we wanted to share our ideas on how Projection Domes can help you to host a unique event and create long-lasting memories with the help of immersive technologies, while keeping it safe for visitors.
The three first weekends of December gave citizens of Shanghai a chance to avoid the hectic pre-Christmas atmosphere and escape into a more calm and
To conclude, getting the maximum out of your event requires a lot of logistics in these new circumstances. But without struggle, there is no progress. So let’s get ready and start planning your next event together!
Domes are a great way to bring immersive entertainment to groups of people. From traditional planetariums to the latest high-tech rides, domes put the audience at the centre of the picture. But choosing the right type of screen depends on many factors.
There is no single, ideal screen type, but by considering the type of content to be shown in the dome, the space available to fit the dome into, the budget, and the audience, it is possible to determine the ideal screen for the proposed project
Firstly let’s consider the different screen types.
Tilted screens are suitable for both planetariums and entertainment. For planetarium shows the whole screen is visible without needing to recline or bend the neck back too far.
For entertainment the main point of interest is directly in front of viewer. In permanent installations seats can be installed in tiers, for uninterrupted views from any seat, while in mobile domes this can be achieved by using a combination of cushions or beanbags at the front, chairs across the middle of the dome and standing area at the rear. This makes tilted domes ideal for cinematic experiences. However, as the front of the screen close to the floor, particularly in portable domes, visitors entering or exiting the dome during screening cast shadows onto the screen, which is annoying to other patrons.
This makes portable tilted domes unsuitable for galleries, art installations and in-dome events.
There are more and more studies about the positive impact of immersive technology on education. It enables learning through experience and can literally bring a
Horizontal screens are situated around 2.2 meters (a little over 7 feet) from floor or ground level allowing the audience to move around inside the dome without interfering with the projection. Ideal for immersive art installations at galleries and festivals, horizontal domes can also host events, dining, corporate presentations or even parties and dance events.
Planetariums often use horizontal screens with omni-directional seating or directional, tiered seating, but this requires seats that recline to allow a full view of the screen. Portable horizontal screen domes start from 10 metres (33 feet) and are very popular at festivals where the audience can wander in and out as they please, recline on bean bags or lie back on floor mats to enjoy the immersive experience from the full dome screen above them.
The team at Fulldome.pro was honored to participate in the Future 1KM Festival in Shanghai, China. The festival was designed to provide an innovative presentation platform for
Coachella is one of the hottest tickets around, usually selling out shortly after going on sale, and there is no secret to their success. The
Horizontal screens are situated around 2.2 meters (a little over 7 feet) from floor All domes allow immersive entertainment for groups, but the floor-to-floor screen takes it to the next level – shared VR. Fulldome.pro pioneered the new product, with a screen that extends beyond the ceiling, onto the walls, and (almost) down to the floor. This screen is a unique piece of technology that helps to create truly immersive in-dome experiences.
Projection in this type of dome is a bit more complicated than other domes and projecting almost to the floor means that viewing capacity is reduced by around 30%. The projection area also includes the doorways, so people cannot enter and exit the dome during a show without interrupting the projection. The VR Dome, as it is sometimes called, is only practical in domes of 7 meters (23 feet) or larger.or ground level allowing the audience to move around inside the dome without interfering with the projection. Ideal for immersive art installations at galleries and festivals, horizontal domes can also host events, dining, corporate presentations or even parties and dance events.
Planetariums often use horizontal screens with omni-directional seating or directional, tiered seating, but this requires seats that recline to allow a full view of the screen. Portable horizontal screen domes start from 10 metres (33 feet) and are very popular at festivals where the audience can wander in and out as they please, recline on bean bags or lie back on floor mats to enjoy the immersive experience from the full dome screen above them.
Be one step ahead of the competition with this next-level technology. The VR dome will make your event an unforgettable experience.
Technology has broadened the possibilities for doing business. Virtual reality, augmented reality and associated technology have been flooding our world for the last decade. It
The vertical dome is becoming popular as a ‘flying theater’ for amusement parks and attractions. After being secured their seats, usually arranged in groups on multiple levels, the audience is moved forward, into the dome, with feet hanging freely for a full-motion, full-immersion ride.
Mounting a dome vertically involves additional engineering to support and distribute the weight of the dome structure.
The largest flying theater in South Korea with the first frameless dome screen is now open in Masan Robot Land, the world-class robot theme park that
If bringing the screen right down to floor is not immersive enough how about removing the floor and putting the viewer at the center of a giant sphere!
A sphere with a horizontal walkway running across the center and the whole inner surface, except the portals through which the audience enter and exit, as the projection screen.
With an understanding of these screen types and the differences between them it is possible to work out which one suits your project. Even still there are many more options to consider from projection, to sound, to facility design. Our team has many years of experience designing and manufacturing domes and projections systems, installation, project management, and support.
Contact Fulldome.pro to see how we can help bring your dome project to reality.
For years, the power of a museum or exhibition has been, at least partly, in its ability to inspire and educate the audience. By being able to bring its audience front and centre to the topic of discussion, it was easy to show them exactly what they are learning about. However, today, with immersive technology such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, projection installations, projection domes, and even holographic tours, we have access to more in-depth, immersive opportunities than ever before.
Immersive technology can go a long way to ensuring that a museum or exhibition event can really capture the audience. Today, with the power of such hardware, it is easier for us to show people rather than have them read, view, or hear about the subject matter.
A major failing in many traditional museum and exhibition events is a failure to engage with the audience. That’s why immersive technology like AR or VR can be so useful. It allows the individual to stand within the subject matter at hand. For example, a workshop in a museum to do with dinosaurs could become far more immersive, giving people a much more lifelike representation of the size of, say, a Stegosaurus.
Museums and technology are becoming more and more entwined, and it is easy to see why. Instead of being seen as outdated and stodgy, immersive solutions help to modernize the educational experience. These projects are gaining massive plaudits around the world, using a product that can be immersive and educational all at once.
This has been a long time coming, with the use of computer art in exhibition and museum events since the 1960s. With such educational activities in need of modernizing to keep a more digitally-inspired audience interested, these technological solutions could pave the way to solving a problem of interest from the audience.
By allowing us to bring people into contact with the stars (virtually), to feel ever-closer to historical figures, and to even stand in among prehistoric creatures, museums and exhibitions can do much to inspire their audience today.
With tools like VR headsets, immersive screens, projection domes, and holograms installations, there is an opportunity to tell a story fuller and clearer than ever before.
And with various experts in immersive technology creating the kind of scenes that can inspire their audience, it really is easy to see just how vast the potential for this both now and in the future will be.
Dear Fulldome.pro partners, customers, and friends,
Here at Fulldome.pro we are following the recommendations of the World Health Organization and local authorities in the countries our offices are located in to slow down the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, most of our office staff will be working from home until at least April 12. All Fulldome.pro team members are available via email, phone, and other messaging services during normal working hours. We would like to reassure all our customers that there are no interruptions to our services and production.
Our factories, logistics and IT will be working shifts to maintain social distancing, so they can continue to work on current projects. We have implemented preventative measures, such as: disposable mask and glove usage; full cleaning and sanitizing after each working day; and temperature checks and sanitizers at entrances.
Working remotely is a challenge for our teams but we will be back with more game-changing products and services. Our efforts to create more affordable and user-friendly dome projection systems will be redoubled. We will keep you updated on special offers and other initiatives in our next emails.
Going through this unprecedented and challenging time we, more than ever, need to work together as one, support and look after each other. Moreover, we need to reach out to let each other know how much we rely on our community. We, at Fulldome.pro, are grateful to you for your support over all these years and particularly through these trying times.
We are looking forward to more wonderful immersive hi-tech projects for all of us in the future. Stay safe and healthy and take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
The Fulldome.pro International Team.
The world of entertainment is constantly on the go.
Blink for just a moment, and you’ll miss incredible inventions, dizzying developments and notable news stories declaring what the next big thing in the industry is. No matter if you’re part of the entertainment industry, a creative professional, or merely a casual fan who enjoys going to the movies, you’re bound to have seen some great changes already this year. Theaters, cinemas, and unique theater-based installations are becoming more and more popular all around the world. Flying theaters are a particularly interesting category of theaters that have received a lot of attention as of late.
First things first, what exactly is a flying theater? Flying theaters are fully immersive attractions that aim to simulate flight. They use immense, semi-circular immersive screens, advanced projection systems, and shifting seats to create the illusion that the audience members are swooping through the sky.
There is some contention over who invented the first-ever flying theater, but as with many entertainment sources and styles, it was first popularised by Disney. Since then, countless different companies and brands all around the world have experimented with using this innovative form of entertainment to delight and amuse their audience.
There are plenty of breathtaking flying theaters all around the world, and it’s hard to pick just one out of the selection as a favorite.
One that particularly stands out is Soarin’ Around The World ride at the Disney Resort in Shanghai. This unique attraction uses incredible imagery, sound effects, and beautiful technology to make a simply unforgettable ride experience. It shows riders some of the most iconic landmarks in the world, including the Great Wall of China and the Eiffel Tower.
Another flying theater that stands out as being exceptional in its field is L’Extraordinaire Voyage at the Futuroscope park in France. This behemoth of a ride weighs almost 110 tons and has been incredibly popular. This ride is based primarily around classic Jules Verne stories and is a fan favorite at Futuroscope due to its size, complexity, and power.
The Voletarium at Europa Park in Germany is another fantastic example of a flying theater that’s made an impact. This incredible ride is recognized as Europe’s biggest flying theater. It’s intense and beautiful all at once and offers riders a special perspective on some iconic locations.
In San Francisco, there’s another great example of a flying theater called The Flyer. This special ride meshes CGI imagery with real videography, to some incredibly unique effects. It’s based around tourism, and showing the best that San Francisco has to offer.
Flying theater in Masan Robot Land, South Korea, is the most popular attraction in the park, and for a good reason. Known as “Wing of Cosmos,” this immersive ride features a massive 20-meter frameless dome screen with a stunning high-quality 4K projection system. It is the largest flying theater in South Korea.
Of course, this list is not exclusive. There are plenty of fantastic flying theaters dotted all across the world, and as the style of theater grows in popularity, we’re bound to see even more of them being created.
The main reasons why we believe flying theaters to be so great include;
At Fulldome.pro, we are inspired to contribute to the technological advancements in immersive entertainment. Check out our latest flying theater installations.
Flying theater is a truly one of a kind immersive entertainment experience that combines the latest technologies with excitement and everyone’s dream of flying. It is a modern digital reinvention of a classic theme park roller-coaster.
Flying theater utilizes an elevated seating platform with the motion seats, immersive screen, and captivating content that is fully synchronized with surround sound system and special effects. Vertically stacked or steeply leveled seating arrangements allow guests’ legs to dangle for that ultimate feeling of flight. The riders can see the action not just ahead of them, but also below and to the sides. To complete the sensation of flying, special effects like breezes that rustle visitors’ hair, mist that drifts about, and natural scents that waft through the air are added into the mix. The unique combination of features listed above is what makes flying theaters such a popular attraction.
The international center “Tashkent City” is one of the largest urban projects carried out in the Republic of Uzbekistan, featuring modern hotels, shopping and entertainment
The largest flying theater in South Korea with the first frameless dome screen is now open in Masan Robot Land, the world-class robot theme park that
We are proud to have worked with many integrators as suppliers of customized immersive screens of different shapes and configurations, high-quality projection systems with up to 8K resolution, and content from our in-house studio, or consultancy services for content creation and testing.
At Fulldome.pro, we are experts in providing various solutions for the media-based attractions. In addition to the flying theater solutions, we offer 4D dome cinema, 360 spheres, and VR domes.
Our extensive library of immersive rides and shows is compatible with any brand of motion seats and includes the content created by our own production studio and premium content from our partners. Fulldome.pro award-winning production studio is experienced at designing content tailored to the specific project.
Find out what we can do for you.
Festivals are at the heart of what we do here at Fulldome.pro.
We’re delighted to be able to use our technology and expertise to make these exciting events viable for our client base. As the years have gone on, we’ve had some wonderful festival experiences as a team. Here are our top 5 favorite festival experiences from our work in 2019.
To start with, one of the most exciting festivals that we got to take part in for 2019 was Coachella. This legendary festival sells out within minutes and attracts a huge range of visitors from all around the world. We provided a projection system for Antarctic Dome to wow the guests at Coachella. This immersive, immense dome showcased a 360-degree music video for the dreamily propulsive “Underwater” by Australian electronic and live band RÜFÜS DU SOL. An 11,000-square-foot Antarctic Dome, provided by HP, delivered the opportunity for festival goers to experiment and express their own creativity through technology.
Lost Lands Music Festival where everything goes, and there are very few limitations, has been held at Legend Valley Campgrounds since 2017. Our US team participated in the Lost Lands Festival with the 12 – meter outdoor dome. The dome was a massive success with the guests. At one point, there were 700 people lined up in a queue to watch our famous Samskara fulldome show. At night the dome was lit up with the life mapping dinosaur-themed show. We have great memories from this wild festival and are looking forward to the next year’s Lost Lands extravaganza.
Our team really enjoyed working at Bhakti Fest. This beautiful festival celebrates yoga and the intricacy of Vedic culture, and aims to introduce new people to practicing yoga. For this festival, we put together two different domes where people could enjoy lectures from yogis and watch new and exciting immersive content.
Another exciting festival that we attended in 2019 was Sziget. This beautiful festival takes place in Budapest, Hungary, and is dedicated to celebrating music, culture, and art. For Sziget, we showcased one of our semi-transparent, inflatable domes as part of an exhibit. We played a number of artistic films in our projection dome and were delighted to see over 10,000 guests visit the attraction over the festival.
Learn more about Sziget Festival:
This intriguing festival took place in Shanghai, China, and is a platform for innovative companies and designers to show their work. It was also one of the central events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China and was visited by government officials of Shanghai. Fulldome.pro was chosen as the main technical supplier of projection domes and projection systems. The festival showcased a whopping 21 projection domes, all along the North Bund river. The themes varied from music to gaming, to cater to all kinds of festival goers.
Learn more about Future 1KM:
Fulldome.pro offers an extensive range of products and services, including our 360 projection dome theaters, projection servers, and exciting fulldome content. We’ve worked with clients from all over the world, and are proud to offer the technical skills to go alongside our products.
Find out more about what we could do for you here.
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