ICINEMA – PUTTING THE WOW IN

BIODIVERSITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

Paul Flemons

Importance of Education and Outreach to TDWG

Standards and biodiversity informatics – simply a means to an end

that end could be termed as being “conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity”

A key component in striving to achieve that end game is education of and outreach to the broader community

Opportunity International Year of Biodiversity 2010

Education and outreach

○ Not TDWGs direct role BUTMany of us represent biodiversity institutions whose

roles involve education and outreach

Opportunity International Year of Biodiversity 2010

Education and outreach

○ We need something with the WOW factor that captures the attention of a broad community and communicates two key simple messages

The wonder of biodiversity in its own right

The importance of biodiversity to humanity

How do we do this? Combine

Museums – ideal venues for reaching a receptive audience○ school children and travellers

Exciting visualisation technology - to engage and enthuse the audience

What? Icinema is a 360 degree cinema

experience Two installation sizes

AVIE - Advanced Visualisation and Interaction Environment○ 360 degree stereoscopic immersive

interactive visualisation environment with motion and shape tracking systems and a multi-channel audio system.

What?

iDome○ a cost-effective and compact immersive

visualisation environment for panoramic and spherical representations, video and/or computer generated.

What? Two modes

3d biodiversity explorerImmersive habitat

Video

http://vimeo.com/2834036

What? Two modes

3d biodiversity explorerImmersive habitat

Whats the plan? Phase 1

Secure funding and content for a 3 month exhibition at the Australian Museum – May – August 2010

Phase 2 Attract further funding to extend to a travelling exhibition for a

number of Australian Museums – including the AVIE and iDome delivery platforms

Phase 3 Find suitable partners internationally to deliver the content to

Museums in USA, Europe and hopefully elsewhere. Focused on 2010

Phase 4 Extend the concept to permanent travelling installations in USA

, Europe, Australia and ???. Changing content as desired.

Whats the plan? Phase 1

Secure funding and content for a 3 month exhibition at the Australian Museum – May – August 2010

Phase 2 Attract further funding to extend to a travelling exhibition for a

number of Australian Museums – including the AVIE and iDome delivery platforms

Phase 3 Find suitable partners internationally to deliver the content to

Museums in USA, Europe and hopefully elsewhere. Focused on 2010

Phase 4 Extend the concept to permanent travelling installations in USA

, Europe, Australia and ???. Changing content as desired.

Whats the plan? Phase 1

Secure funding and content for a 3 month exhibition at the Australian Museum – May – August 2010

Phase 2 Attract further funding to extend to a travelling exhibition for a

number of Australian Museums – including the AVIE and iDome delivery platforms

Phase 3 Find suitable partners internationally to deliver the content to

Museums in USA, Europe and hopefully elsewhere. Focused on 2010

Phase 4 Extend the concept to permanent travelling installations in USA

, Europe, Australia and ???. Changing content as desired.

Whats the plan? Phase 1

Secure funding and content for a 3 month exhibition at the Australian Museum – May – August 2010

Phase 2 Attract further funding to extend to a travelling exhibition for a

number of Australian Museums – including the AVIE and iDome delivery platforms

Phase 3 Find suitable partners internationally to deliver the content to

Museums in USA, Europe and hopefully elsewhere. Focused on 2010

Phase 4 Extend the concept to permanent travelling installations in USA

, Europe, Australia and ???. Changing content as desired.

Whats the plan? Progress

Currently in negotiation with Earthwatch, ALA, Federal Govt education sector and other Australian Museums. Cautiously optimistic that we will achieve Phases 1&2.

To achieve Phases 3 & 4 will require significant international partners

Challenges Timeframe is very short – but doable

Technology is stableInstallation infrastructure is available

Funding – its a relatively expensive undertaking so we need to attract significant funding sources

Challenges Content

T-Visionarium○ Require 50000 images

Tagged with for eg- Names – common and scientific (all levels of

heirarchy)- Conservation Status- Ecosystem role or functional group- other species specific tags

○ 2500 video clips (optional)

Challenges Content

Immersive habitat○ Multiple habitats

each habitat- 360 degree image or video- Embedded content

• Images• Videos• Maps• Audio

What is needed to make it happen? Content providers

EOL Flickr Group.....

International PartnersMuseums

○ Exhibition locations○ Financial partners

Corporate sponsors

Thanks