Fulldome

The term full-dome ( english, full-dome ') stands for an immersive dome- based projection environment, which is used, among other planetariums and mobile domes.

Function

The projection is done in a semi-spherical surface of the dome. The image has a 360 -degree expansion in the horizon and at least 180 degrees across the crown and surrounding the viewer. The dome, horizontal or inclined, is recorded with real-time (interactive) or pre-rendered computer animations or with real image and video recordings. Visual material in the so-called "full -dome " dome masters are called. The images have a circular output format.

User

Planetariums around the world are increasingly using full-dome technology. In German-speaking countries the number of planetariums grows with the ability to show full-dome video and to offer interactive presentations. The Media Dome at the University of Applied Sciences Kiel is a pioneer in the verification of medium FullDome.

Planetariums with full -dome technology (selection)

There are 990 planetariums worldwide with full -dome technology, of which 450 in the U.S..

Germany

Large planetariums

  • Planetarium at the Islander
  • Planetarium Bochum
  • Planetarium Hamburg
  • Planetarium Jena
  • Planetarium Münster

More Planetariums

  • Mediendom Kiel ( not a classic planetarium, there is no explicit star projector available)
  • Stellarium Erkrath
  • Minikosmos in Lichtenstein
  • Planetarium Laupheim
  • Planetarium Fachhochschule Flensburg

USA

  • Adler Planetarium

Australia

  • Melbourne Planetarium

Full Dome at universities

Also, various universities in Germany deal now with the fulldome medium: The Fachhochschule Kiel has its own " Mediendom ", but also offers public programs. In the degree programs in Multimedia Production, Bachelor and Master, is dealt with both technical as well as substantive issues of the Full Dome.

Fachhochschule Potsdam also has a dome, the power dome in which the use of fulldome technology in information visualization for education, for example, for schools and museums, is tested. The research will take place in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology ( FIRST) here.

At the Bauhaus University Weimar projects and seminars on the full-dome production are regularly offered since 2006. The Bauhaus University does not have its own dome, projects are implemented with the Zeiss Planetarium Jena. During this cooperation in 2007 was also one of the most famous fulldome festivals around the world, the Full Dome Festival Jena.

Full Dome Film Festival

  • DomeFest, Baton Rouge, USA
  • Full Dome Festival, Jena, Germany

Projectors

Multi-channel projection equipment for full-dome, for example, Zeiss Power Dome, Evans & Sutherland Digitar 3, SkySkan DigitalSky, Kodak Minolta Media Globe and pointed ElectricSky II

Dome Master format

The Dome Master format (or Dome Master) is the image standard for the fulldome medium. It is a distorted circular image that embeds itself in a square image and is used for full-dome projection. The dome masters therefore corresponds to the fish-eye projection. This usually image sequences come in file formats such as JPG, PNG, and TGA at 29.97, 30 or 60 frames per second are used, which must be converted to the particular system in a particular video format within the system. Common resolutions are depending on the system and dome size 1k ( 1024x1024 ), 2K ( 2048x2048 ), 3k ( 3072x3072 ), 4k ( 4096x4096 ), 8k ( 8192x8192 ).

Manufactured Dome is a master at real images through a fisheye lens, these are mainly time-lapse recordings that were created with digital (usually single-lens reflex ) cameras. For real video functions, the maximum resolution of most film cameras is not enough or can not be maintained, the frame rate of at least 30 frames per second in a typical resolution of about 3072 x 3072 pixels. Rarely five- or multi- camera rigs, see the application in which multiple individual cameras for each required direction to a so-called Rig composed and film in parallel. The so-called stitching is done either live by specific real-time software or video editing programs afterwards. For 2D or 3D animations either virtual five- camera rigs or special full-dome cameras, distortion filters or shaders that were programmed specifically for this purpose come to use. The latter have the advantage that is not necessary, subsequent stitching.

File specification in development

So far, the definition is more of a design guideline in order to play back a picture optimally in a full-dome environment. However, the trade association IMERSA working on a official technical file specification, in which features such as encryption, metadata, etc. Sound is taken into account.

Adler-Planetarium JPEG Time-lapse photography
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