Icinema – putting the WOW in biodiversity education and outreach

1. Paul Flemons Icinema – putting the WOW in biodiversity education and outreach

2. 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

3. Opportunity • International Year of Biodiversity 2010 • Education and outreach • Not TDWGs direct role BUT • Many of us represent biodiversity institutions whose roles involve education and outreach

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

8. What? • iDome • a cost-effective and compact immersive visualisation environment for panoramic and spherical representations, video and/or computer generated.

11. What? • Two modes • 3d biodiversity explorer • Immersive habitat

12. Video • http://vimeo.com/2834036

16. What? • Two modes • 3d biodiversity explorer • Immersive habitat

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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

23. Challenges • Timeframe is very short – but doable • Technology is stable • Installation infrastructure is available • Funding – its a relatively expensive undertaking so we need to attract significant funding sources

24. 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)

25. Challenges • Content • Immersive habitat • Multiple habitats • each habitat • 360 degree image or video • Embedded content • Images • Videos • Maps • Audio

26. What is needed to make it happen? • Content providers • EOL Flickr Group • ..... • International Partners • Museums • Exhibition locations • Financial partners • Corporate sponsors

27. Thanks