Client: The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen
Integrator: AV One
7thSense Products
At its Craigiebuckler campus in Aberdeen, The James Hutton Institute wanted to create a space where scientists could step inside their data.
The goal was to build an immersive visualisation suite that would allow researchers to explore complex environmental information - from large landscape models to detailed simulation data - on a scale that simply isn’t possible on a normal screen. Scientists needed to be able to view, analyse and discuss this information together in a shared environment, with the ability to display outputs from live research tools as well as prepared visual content.
Crucially, this meant the system had to support both real-time and pre-rendered visualisation workflows, with the performance needed to ingest and display multiple high-resolution sources simultaneously while maintaining smooth playback and responsive interaction.
But the Hutton didn’t want the space to be used only by researchers. It also had to support workshops, demos and events with collaborators, policymakers and visitors. It had to be flexible enough to switch easily between research sessions, presentations and public engagement - all while remaining straightforward to operate.
Solution
Working in partnership with Aberdeen-based AV integrator AV1, 7thSense provided the media server and control technology that powers the immersive suite.
At the heart of the system are two 7thSense R-Series 10™ Media Servers. The R-Series platform is designed as a generative media server, meaning it’s built not only for playback of video media but also for ingesting, processing and distributing live visual data in real-time. This architecture enables the system to handle demanding visualisation workloads with extremely low latency, allowing live outputs from scientific software and modelling applications to be captured, processed and displayed across the immersive environment without delay.
One server runs real-time applications, allowing scientists to generate live visualisations directly from research software and simulation tools. The output from this system is then captured by a second R-Series 10™ running 7thSense Delta Media Server, which distributes the content across the projection system with frame-accurate synchronisation.
Delta Media Server drives nine WUXGA projectors across a large, curved screen, creating a continuous visual surface that surrounds viewers with imagery, data and simulation results. The high-bandwidth media architecture allows the system to ingest multiple sources simultaneously while maintaining stable frame rates and synchronised playback across all outputs. This makes it possible to combine live data feeds, rendered visualisations and presentation media within a single immersive environment.
To maintain perfect visual continuity across the curved projection surface, the system uses Scalable Display Technologies’ Auto-Alignment software supported by six GigE cameras. These cameras analyse the projected image and automatically adjust the geometry, blending and colour balance across all nine projectors, when required. The result is a precisely aligned, seamless display where the image appears as a single unified canvas - even across a large multi-projector environment.
A Medialon Show Control solution provides the operational layer that brings the entire system together. Through an intuitive control interface, operators can switch between content sources, trigger presentation scenes and combine multiple layers of visual media. Importantly, the Medialon control system allows the system to be operated without specialist programming knowledge, enabling researchers or presenters to control the environment easily while under the hood, the control system handles the advanced automation and synchronisation required for complex immersive experiences.
AV1 completed the installation by integrating the projection systems, spatial audio and wider AV infrastructure that bring the entire environment together.
Challenges
Creating a seamless immersive display across the wrap-around screen required careful alignment of nine projectors so the image would appear as one continuous surface.
The system also needed to support a wide variety of content - from live outputs generated by scientific software to high-resolution visual media prepared for presentations. Ensuring the technology could ingest, process and distribute these different sources while maintaining image quality, synchronisation and stable frame rates across the entire display was a key part of the design.
Another unique feature of the space is how it connects to the surrounding building. An 8-metre rear wall can slide open, linking the immersive suite directly to the adjacent café area. This allows the space to expand beyond a research environment into a venue for demonstrations, talks and public engagement events.
To make this possible, the system had to be both technically robust and simple to operate, enabling different users to move quickly between research visualisation, presentations and immersive demonstrations.
Outcome
The finished suite is made up of a 72-square-metre curved projection surface within a space around eight metres deep, creating a striking environment where researchers can explore environmental systems in a completely new way.
Powered by 7thSense R-Series 10™ generative media server architecture, the system can ingest and display live scientific outputs alongside high-resolution media while maintaining smooth, synchronised playback across the entire projection surface. Researchers can interact with complex datasets, climate simulations and landscape models at scale, gaining new insights through collaborative visual exploration.
At the same time, the Medialon Show Control layer allows the environment to be easily operated for demonstrations and presentations, enabling the Hutton to share its work with a wider audience.
By combining high-performance media server technology, precise multi-projector alignment and intuitive show control, the immersive suite provides a powerful yet flexible visualisation platform - one that supports advanced research while making complex environmental science more accessible and engaging.