Our dome theater and our lab and learning environments in Norrköping’s industrial landscape were unique for a long time. Through the Wisdome project, we have been able to spread the technology and knowledge to other leading science centers in Sweden. The internationally ground-breaking visualization technology developed at Linköping University allows us to see what would otherwise be hidden from view, and creates understanding of complex interrelationships, large abstract volumes of data, and phenomena that are too small, too large, too quick or too slow for humans to grasp.

Based on the world-leading research conducted at Visualiseringscenter C, and with contributions from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, we have been able to create experiences and make complex research accessible in more places. Wisdome makes the invisible visible and takes us to places that are otherwise impossible to visit. Now, Wisdome dome theaters are in five cities, with Wisdome Norrköping as the mothership.

The dome theater is used for both public screenings and visualization research, which places high demands on image quality, brightness, calibration, and real-time rendering performance. The visual experience is created by six separate projectors that together provide a total projected resolution of 8K x 8K across the dome surface.

Visualiseringscenter C was the first in the world to use 6P RGB Laser projection in a dome theater. At the time of installation in spring 2019, the projectors were extremely unusual. RGB Laser means that the image is generated directly from separate red, green, and blue laser light sources instead of a traditional lamp-based white-light projector. In a 6P laser system, two slightly different RGB wavelength sets are used: one for the left eye and one for the right eye. Special 3D glasses filter these wavelengths so each eye receives its intended image, producing brighter stereoscopic content with a wider color gamut.

Content Preparation and Formats

Fulldome / Fisheye Format

• Minimum 4096 x 4096, up to 8092 x 8092, mono or stereoscopic fisheye (180 degrees FOV)
• 8-bit PNG/JPG sequences, one separate sequence for each eye
• 30 fps or 60 fps for mono content
• 60 fps or 120 fps for stereoscopic content

Infrastructure playback mostly utilize H.264 or H.265 hardware decoding (with 10-bit support), but image sequences remain the general standardized supply chain for content delivery to dome theaters.

Audio Formats

• Separate 16-bit mono WAV files for each channel (7.1 audio system — 8 channels).
• Stereo and 5.1 recording is also common.
• For live audio input/output (64/64 channels), there is an RME MADIface USB that can be connected to any computer via USB 2.0.

Dome and Projection System

• Dome structure: Spitz Nanoseam, covering 165 degrees of a sphere
• Dome diameter: 14.8 meters
• Dome tilt: 27 degrees
• Surface construction: form-cut aluminum plates weighing about 2.5 tonnes in total
• Surface perforation: 23% open area for audio and ventilation
• Suspension: 12 ceiling-mounted chains
• Number of projectors: 6
• Projector model: Barco XDL-4K30
• Resolution per projector: DCI 4K, 4096 x 2160 pixels per eye
• Total resolution across the dome surface: 8K x 8K
• Unique image resolution after overlap and edge blending: approximately 7K x 7K, or about 6800 x 6800 pixels
• Brightness per projector: 30,000 ANSI lumens at full power
• Weight per projector: 200 kg plus a 115 kg cooling unit
• Power consumption per projector: approximately 5 kW including cooling at full power
• Stereo system: Dolby 3D / 6P RGB Laser color separation

Rendering and Calibration

The projectors are driven by computer graphics generated by several computer clusters located in the server room beneath the dome. These clusters can play back dome films or render interactive presentations in real time, just like a computer game. The dome is used with software such as C-Play, OpenSpace, Unreal Engine, and in-house research software.

Calibration and warping are currently handled through Barco Pulse in the projectors, with support for mono calibration and stereoscopic left-eye and right-eye calibration.

Computers & Matrix

There is up to 4 clusters available to route content for the projectors in the dome.

We strongly utilize NVIDIA GPU:s for rendering and decoding, with the having two clusters with NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada GPU:s (one in each PC, and one PC per projector). Third backup cluster utilizes NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 GPU:s. All the nodes are synced with NVIDIA Sync cards.

Each projector is be driven from 2 channels (L+R) at 4096x2160@60Hz, 8bit color depth. The Virtual Matrix uses 52 sources/encoders (Barco ENA-340 encoders) each capable of up to 4K60Hz, 8bit color depth per channel can be routed from input to any output (non-blocking), through dual fiber cables to a 10G network switch. From the network switch and over dual fiber cables, signal is routed to the ENA-340 decoder which has again a DP1.2 output. Latency in the matrix switcher is maximum 1 frame. Besides the 12 decoders for the projectors, there are 4 more decoders each driving 1 4K display.

Audio System

The dome has a 7.2 audio system, but it is used as a 7.1 system (seven surround channels and one low-frequency channel). There is also a 4-channel tour guide system for up to 4 different languages in addition to the main language played through the speakers. A hearing loop carries the main language.

Technical Specifications

• Audio Mixer: DiGiCo SD8-24, DiGiCo MaDiRack
• Amplifiers: 5 x Crown XTi 2000, 1 x Crown XTi 1000
• Speakers: 5 x JBL AM5212/95, 2 x JBL 8320, 2 x JBL 4642A
• Audio Monitors: 2 x JBL LSR2328P
• Microphones:
  • 2 x Sennheiser SK 500 G3-B with Sennheiser ME 3-ew or DPA d:fine 4088
  • 2 x Sennheiser SKM 500-965 G3-B
• Microphone Receivers: 4 x Sennheiser EM 500 G3-B-EU, 1 x Sennheiser ASA 1
• Tour Guide System: 4 x Sennheiser SR 2020-D, 40 x Sennheiser HDE 2020-D-II, 1 x Sennheiser L 2021-40
• Hearing Loop: 1 x Bo Edin AB Univox SLS-300 XF

Light System

The dome needs special lighting so that the immersive feeling is kept at a maximum.

Technical Specifications

• Light Mixer: 1 x Electronic Theatre Controls Inc. Element 40
• Light Controllers: 1 x Pharos Architectural Controls Ltd. LPC1, 1 x Pharos Architectural Controls Ltd. BPS
• DMX Merger: 1 x Swisson XMG-51
• DMX Splitter: 1 x Swisson XSP
• Cove Lights: 142 x Philips Color Kinetics iColor Cove MX Powercore
• Spotlights: 4 x Philips Selecon Pacific 14°–35° Zoomspot, controlled by 1 x Electronic Theatre Controls Inc. SmartPack Wall Mount (6 dimmer version)
• The dome light system also controls the lights in the public areas of the dome building

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Projects

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Guides