BBC Series ‘The Green Planet’ Comes to Life in a London AR Exhibition
David Attenborough’s nature documentary The Green Planet came to reality, at least virtually, in a London Augmented Reality exhibition which began on February 11.
In the exhibition, visitors encounter a Holographic Attenborough, now 95. The exhibition is titled “The Green Planet AR” and takes place at the Piccadilly Circus. Visitors are guided through various climates zones by Attenborough’s animated hologram.
Like in the BBC nature series, the Augmented Reality experience revolves around the diversity of the planet world. Admission is free but there will be a limited number of tickets.
The exhibition takes visitors through six “biomes” that range from deserts to rainforests. Guiding you through all of these is a holographic image of David Attenborough. Players are immersed in what the exhibition describes as a botanic world that is as “aggressive, immersive and dramatic” as what you would experience on the real planet.
The exhibition demonstrates not only the possibilities of Augmented Reality but also the benefits of 5G connectivity. A private 5G network for the exhibition was developed by EE (a mobile network owned by BT) and the Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson. Data from the AR experience is transmitted to the smartphones via 5G and the exhibition has been backed by a “5G AR Consortium” that consists of six companies who are major players in these emerging technologies.
Visitors will be given a Samsung S21 5G on loan at the entrance which is attached to a stable selfie stick with which to explore the different virtual biomes shown in the exhibition. The high-spec Samsung phone acts as a window through which the overgrown halls are enriched with digital elements in Augmented Reality.
When visitors at the exhibition hold the device in front of the real backdrop in The Green Planet AR, they will get to see why plants are important to the future of our planet, according to the organizers. This virtual form of life, they say, can be as “aggressive, competitive and dramatic” as any living creature on the planet.
The excursion lasts roughly 40 to 60 minutes and leads you through themed areas of rainforest, freshwater, saltwater, desert, and the seasons.
The Green Planet AR augmented reality experience was developed by Factory42 in collaboration with BBC. The mobile phone provider EE Limited, a BT retail brand, was the streaming partner in the exhibition.
Free AR Experience with 5G Streaming
Interested in sampling the AR nature experience? The exhibition opened on February 11 and runs until March 9, 2022, and is being held at 55 Regent Street. Visitors must use their Samsung S21 5G smartphone provided to them by the exhibitors and can’t use their smartphone even if they have the appropriate Samsung model with them.
As of the time of writing this, the event is fully booked. However, starting from February 17, there will be more free tickets available on The Green Planet AR official website.
https://virtualrealitytimes.com/2022/02/14/bbc-series-the-green-planet-comes-to-life-in-a-london-ar-exhibition/https://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/David-Attenborough-shooting-the-scenes-for-The-Green-Planet-AR-Experience-600x401.pnghttps://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/David-Attenborough-shooting-the-scenes-for-The-Green-Planet-AR-Experience-150x90.pngAugmented RealityTechnologyDavid Attenborough’s nature documentary The Green Planet came to reality, at least virtually, in a London Augmented Reality exhibition which began on February 11. In the exhibition, visitors encounter a Holographic Attenborough, now 95. The exhibition is titled “The Green Planet AR” and takes place at the Piccadilly Circus. Visitors...Sam OchanjiSam Ochanji[email protected]EditorVirtual Reality Times - Metaverse & VR