MAGIC Center facilities are spread across approximately 11,000 square feet in the ’round’ portion of building 87. We chose to address immersion in the core area of the center, a round open area that can be configured for a wide variety of uses. All of the furniture is on wheels and can be reconfigured on the fly. The ceilings are high and unobtrusive (15’+ in most areas). The area is ringed with a 270 degree 3 segment wall that serves as a screen for nine high-definition projectors aligned in a seamless display: using this system we can display digital worlds, information displays, and projects in such fashion that they ‘surround’ the space. This space is used for speakers and presentations, but also films, games, virtual worlds, and experiments of all types. Since the footprint is reconfigurable, it can be used for motion-intensive applications such as physical computing, gestural interfaces, and augmented reality applications. The space is also equipped with a surround sound system and numerous adapters and displays for additional tie-ins to the overall system. Affectionately referred to as the ‘holodeck’, this immersive area has been used for a wide variety of purposes already, and we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible. This area can seat up to 175 in its most compact configuration, or support courses and lectures of up to 150.
