iDome, low cost immersive system

[OmniAtlas]

Do you guys think this would be feasible to create for use with FSX? iDome: http://www.icinema.unsw.edu.au/technologies/idome/

It uses one projector and a spherical mirror creating a completely immersive experience.

I've been thinking this could probably be pulled off with fsx using Immersive Display Lite 2, Nthusim, or warpilizer.

[Goldmember]

I've calculated a lot on this concept. Conclusion is the dome has to be huge in order to fit a 737 pit in. I've also experimented with a concave mirror, like they use for security. But it has to ba a glass first surface mirror. These mirrors have the reflective coating on the outside instead of behind the glass. Very expensive (like 5000 euro or more). AFAIK there's no cheap way to do dome projection.

[OmniAtlas]

I've been in touch with acrilconvex and they sell the same mirror used by Paul Bourke for 595 AUD.

Might be a neat clean solution instead of setting up multiple projectors...comeon, noone at home has tried this??

[OmniAtlas]

I believe with the new BenQ 1080p ST projector, and the convex mirrors, it is totally plausible to create a 180+ degree view with one projector. I am going to go ahead and emulate something similar to this --

74957496
"Treehuggers" installation by Gatze Zonneveld
Treehuggers - A Studies in Immersive Animation Video by Europrix - Myspace Video (http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/48457001)

Similar to the Gundam arcade pod, but using the mirror allows you to throw BEHIND the spectator.

http://arcadeheaven.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/pod.jpg

I'll draw out some plans this weekend and see if a full size MIP would be able to fit and if the image will throw with a shell in place.

[birdyguy]

Sounds like an interesting project. Please keep us posted on your results.

[OmniAtlas]

The original iDome measurements --

http://paulbourke.net/dome/iDome/domedimensions.pdf

We have a radius of 1.5 m which I believe should be enough to fit the FDS Shell (maximum aft end of the shell - width is 2.13 m).

Depth wise, 1.5 m available. The end of the firepanel which coincides with the edge of the windows (according to boeing 737 measurements.pdf) is 0.515 m from the MIP.

The question to ask is, If the MIP was placed 0.5 m away from the iDome, is this sufficient throw distance so you don't have any shadows with the shell?