THE BRAIN ODYSSEY
An interactive journey into the human brain. This museum exhibit puts visitors in command of an awe-inspiring journey into the brain's physiology and complex inner structures.
Brain Odyssey Museum Exhibit Now Availble for Purchase
An immersive experience, available in 3 interactive formats, broadening the suite of science exhibits.
This museum experience starts outside of the brain and then dives into multiple microscopic levels that show more intricate structures, finally reaching down to the tiny molecular levels of complex neurotransmitters, showing how they diffuse across the neurons tiny synapse, causing the transfer of a nerve impulse across your entire body.
To maintain a smooth educational experience and to achieve the highest medical accuracy, we worked with specialized neurologists to design the perfect anatomically accurate 3D brain. This included 3D digital sculpting, texturing, lighting, animating and programming of all 3D brain assets and then using them to create of all visuals for this immersive Unity-based software application.
Using the Unity 3D platform, we engineered this fully interactive brain exhibit application from the ground up using C# programming code. To create this custom application, it was necessary for the team to utilize advanced procedural programming workflows to make sure complex cellular processes are represented accurately. Our software engineering and creative services team spent more than a year designing and developing the exhibit’s most immersive and technically sophisticated experiences.
Intervoke has perfected the art and science behind building professional-grade interactive applications with clear and accurate detail. This exhibit puts visitors in command of an awe-inspiring journey into the brain's physiology and complex inner structures.
The Narrative
The human brain is the embodiment of all our experiences. All of our emotions, memories, and sensations are the result of approximately 86 billion neurons in the human brain working together. See the human brain in ways never before seen. By harnessing the entertaining aspects of immersive technologies and medical science, we bring the brain to life. This is a multifaceted installation designed to put the marvels and mysteries of the brain at visitors' fingertips. Originally opened at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium and developed for large scale 4K display screens, developed in partnership with the design firm Ideum.
This is a multifaceted museum installation, designed to put the marvels and mysteries of the brain at visitors' fingertips. The human brain is the most complex of all living structures in the known universe. Despite vast bounds in our understanding of the brain, it is still considered one of the least understood frontiers of the human body.
Available in 3 Configurations
One version offers a fully interactive kiosk complete with an Ideum inline touch screen and joystick in a cabinet, along with a 4K projector and computer. The touch screen allows visitors to “dive” to each level of the journey, while the joystick provides navigation within each level. This version is closest to the exhibit’s original format.
The Brain Odyssey is also available with the Ideum Touchless Pedestal which was announced last month and utilizes the Touchless Design software. This version replaces the touch screen control panel with completely gesture-based navigation.
Finally, the experience is available as either a touch or touchless version formatted for use with our Drafting II touch table. The touchless version of this configuration utilizes Ideum’s award-winning add-on hardware module to transform hand gestures into onscreen actions.
Areas of Interest
The Brain Odyssey begins showing the brain's exterior and then dives closer, revealing multiple microscopic levels and more intricate structures. Finally, visitors can zoom all of the way into the molecular structure of complex neurotransmitters, diffusing across the tiny synapses, causing the transfer of a nerve impulse. This experience also includes multiple supplimental videos for each level that explains other exciting details of the brain. For example: on level 01 there is an included video called "The Electric Brain" that shows how the cells of your brain use electrical signals to transfer information across your entire body.
This museum exhibit opens with a gorgeous visualization of the brain's electrical activity. This is designed to attract users to this experience by looping continuously with ambient music playing in the background. Once the user engages the experience, you are then introduced to a beautifully rendered anatomically accurate human brain.
Levels of Immersion
HOME LEVEL: ATTRACT SCREEN
LEVEL 01: LOBES OF THE BRAIN
LEVEL 02. LIMBIC SYSTEM
LEVEL 03. HIPPOCAMPAL CIRCUITS
LEVEL 04. NEURONS
LEVEL 05. SYNAPSE
LEVEL 06. NEUROTRANSMITTERS
LEVEL 01: THE BRAIN
THE FIRST LEVEL HAS FIVE AREAS OF INTEREST ALLOWING YOU TO INTERACTIVELY SELECT THE LOBES AND THE CEREBRAL VASCULATURE AREAS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE AREAS; LIKE THE FRONTAL LOBE, WHICH IS THE REGION OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROLS HIGHER COGNITIVE FUNCTION.
LEVEL 02: LIMBIC SYSTEM
THIS LEVEL HIGHLIGHTS THE LIMBIC SYSTEM. IT'S LOCATED DEEP WITHIN THE BRAIN, SO PART OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE BRAIN IS REMOVED SO YOU CAN SEE THE INTERIOR COMPONENTS. IT'S COMPOSED OF FOUR MAIN STRUCTURES: THE HIPPOCAMPUS, THE AMYGDALA, THE HYPOTHALAMUS, AND THE THALAMUS.
LEVEL 03: HIPPOCAMPAL CIRCUITS
IN THE THIRD LEVEL, WE SHOW AN EXAMPLE OF THE RELAY OF A SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS. THIS SHOWS HOW THIS LOOP INTERACTS AND TRAVELS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BRAIN. THIS INFLUENCES HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR.
LEVEL 04: NEURONS
THE FOURTH LEVEL SHOWS THE MANY TYPES OF NEURONS AND HOW THEY TRANSMIT INFORMATION. NEURONS ARE SUPPORTED BY GLIAL CELLS, WHICH GET THEIR NAME FROM THE LATIN WORD FOR “GLUE”. ALSO, YOU LEARN ABOUT ASTROCYTE CELLS, THESE ARE THE SUPPORT CELLS THAT HOLD EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
LEVEL 04: SYNAPSE
THIS LEVELS FOCUSES ON THE SYNAPSE. IN A NEURON, A SYNAPSE IS THE STRUCTURE BETWEEN TWO NEURONS THAT PERMITS A NEURON TO PASS A CHEMICAL OR ELECTRICAL SIGNAL TO ANOTHER NEURON AND HAS MANY WORKING PARTS. PARTS LIKE THE SYNAPTIC VESICLES. THESE ARE LIKE BUBBLES CONTAINING NEUROTRANSMITTERS THAT ARE RELEASED INTO THE SYNAPTIC CLEFT IN A PROCESS CALLED “EXOCYTOSIS”.
LEVEL 05: SYNAPSE
THIS LEVELS FOCUSES ON THE SYNAPSE. IN A NEURON, A SYNAPSE IS THE STRUCTURE BETWEEN TWO NEURONS THAT PERMITS A NEURON TO PASS A CHEMICAL OR ELECTRICAL SIGNAL TO ANOTHER NEURON AND HAS MANY WORKING PARTS. PARTS LIKE THE SYNAPTIC VESICLES. THESE ARE LIKE BUBBLES CONTAINING NEUROTRANSMITTERS THAT ARE RELEASED INTO THE SYNAPTIC CLEFT IN A PROCESS CALLED “EXOCYTOSIS”.
LEVEL 06: NEUROTRANSMITTERS
ARE HOW ONE NEURON COMMUNICATES WITH ANOTHER NEURON OR CELL. NEUROTRANSMITTERS ARE SMALL CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES THAT ACT AS MESSENGERS. NEURONS SEND INFORMATION THROUGH ELECTRICAL SIGNALING, AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS CAN EITHER HELP BUILD THIS SIGNAL (EXCITE) OR HINDER THIS SIGNAL (INHIBIT).
Interactive Displays and Hardware
LARGE FORM FACTOR :
This hardware includes a large 4k projection display and touch screen control panel which enhances the existing details from the brain odyssey exhibit.
The exhibit's size and interactivity make it possible for large groups to view the projected Brain Odyssey imagery together. Plus, the integrated high-fidelity stereo audio system pulls users across the gallery into the brain inner-space journey.
The exhibit's size and interactivity make it possible for large groups to view the projected Brain Odyssey imagery together. Plus, the integrated high-fidelity stereo audio system pulls users across the gallery into the brain inner-space journey.
This exhibit space includes these large form factor projection features:
Barco 4K ProjectorWall Controller PC with NVIDIA P5000 GPU
43" Inline Display (Control console)
Integrated PC (Control console)
AV Integration
Kiosk with Joystick and Electronics (Control Console)
ENTTEC Phero 33 RGB Pixel Bar (Halo lighting)
ENTTEC Pixelator Mini Controller (Halo lighting)
PC for ArtNex/DMX Control System (Halo lighting)
This form factor includes reskinning the user interface to work on your specific type of hardware aspect ratio, and 3 years software support.
SMALL FORM FACTOR :
Other configurations are available by request. For example, tablet-based controls, touch screen control panels and even touchless controls, listed below. These smaller form factors still utilize the enhanced beauty of the brain odyssey exhibit. Contact us for more information.
Real-Time Configuration
All form factors include custom configuration options shown below. These admin settings can be changed in real-time.
Note: Point of interest "POI" are these markers below. These POIs are used on each exhibit level to show the areas of interest. When they are selected you will be provided with interactive feed back on screen providing more details. Inside of the application we have created configiration files that can be easly customized to fine-tune your immersive experience. These areas are listed below
Customization Options:
POI Selection Area
POI Selection Time
POI Marker Fade Out Time
POI Marker Default/Selected Color
Camera Rotation/Zoom Speed
Attract Screen Timeout Length
Attract Screen Brain Rotation Speed
Display Resolution
Updates for Audio volume for music & various environmental sound effects
Pixel distance from screen edge for displaying
Off-screen markers
Using spoken voice-overs for each POI
A warranty with 3 years of software support
Additionally you can add Ideums new "Touchless Pedestal" which expands the opportunities for a "Zero-Touch" interaction. The new pedestal is made for large displays, video walls, and projection environments.
Want to learn more about our Brain Odyssey Exhibit?
Get in touch with our team to learn more.
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