Electronics

Thousands of LCD screens and lenses used to create digital artwork

Thousands of LCD screens and lenses used to create digital artwork
The Discovery Wall at Weill Cornell Medical College
The Discovery Wall at Weill Cornell Medical College
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The Discovery Wall at Weill Cornell Medical College
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The Discovery Wall at Weill Cornell Medical College
The Discovery Wall is a display made up of 2,800 mini LCD screens each placed behind a curved lens
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The Discovery Wall is a display made up of 2,800 mini LCD screens each placed behind a curved lens
Content can be programmed into each of the screens
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Content can be programmed into each of the screens
Text can be overlayed onto content that is displayed on each of the screens
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Text can be overlayed onto content that is displayed on each of the screens
The text is used to provide information about the work at WCMC
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The text is used to provide information about the work at WCMC
The mini-screens are each positioned behind a curved lens
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The mini-screens are each positioned behind a curved lens
The lenses create a lenticular effect for visitors looking at the content
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The lenses create a lenticular effect for visitors looking at the content
The images shown on the screens are from work done at WCMC
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The images shown on the screens are from work done at WCMC
Screens are clustered together to show information or groups of images
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Screens are clustered together to show information or groups of images
There are three levels at which the Discovery Wall can be view: macro, mezzo and micro
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There are three levels at which the Discovery Wall can be view: macro, mezzo and micro
When viewing the Discovery Wall up close at the micro level, visitors will see individual images and text overlays on the mini-screens
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When viewing the Discovery Wall up close at the micro level, visitors will see individual images and text overlays on the mini-screens
When viewing the Discovery Wall from outside the WCMC window at the mezzo level, visitors will be able to see titles of research topics and clusters of images amongst the LED screens
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When viewing the Discovery Wall from outside the WCMC window at the mezzo level, visitors will be able to see titles of research topics and clusters of images amongst the LED screens
When viewing the Discovery Wall from across the road at the macro level, visitors will be able to see full-scale high-resolution images using the whole screen
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When viewing the Discovery Wall from across the road at the macro level, visitors will be able to see full-scale high-resolution images using the whole screen
Content can be programmed on to the Discovery Wall using a custom-made content management system
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Content can be programmed on to the Discovery Wall using a custom-made content management system
The Discovery Wall was created by Hirsch & Mann and Squint/Opera
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The Discovery Wall was created by Hirsch & Mann and Squint/Opera
As individuals walk past the artwork, the lenses will bring the mini screens into and out of focus
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As individuals walk past the artwork, the lenses will bring the mini screens into and out of focus
Each LCD is capable of displaying 240 x 240 pixels and each high-resolution macro image is 16,800 pixels wide and 9,600 pixels high
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Each LCD is capable of displaying 240 x 240 pixels and each high-resolution macro image is 16,800 pixels wide and 9,600 pixels high
The Discovery Wall is fully modular, meaning that individual pieces can be easily serviced and replaced if needs be
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The Discovery Wall is fully modular, meaning that individual pieces can be easily serviced and replaced if needs be
View gallery - 18 images

A new digital installation has been unveiled in the window of the foyer at Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC) in Manhattan. The Discovery Wall is a display made up of 2,800 mini LCD screens each placed behind a curved lens, and its content varies depending on the distance from which it's being viewed.

The installation was created by Hirsch & Mann and Squint/Opera. Gizmag featured Hirsch & Mann back in January, when it created the "Joy Jacket" for Cadbury. The garment is powered by embedded Raspberry Pi and Arduino controllers, and flashes when it senses that the wearer is eating one of two Cadbury chocolate bars.

Like the Joy Jacket, the Discovery Wall is a mixture of technology and innovation. According to Hirsch & Mann, the piece is aimed at celebrating the work being delivered in the research center by "displaying potentially infinite collections of dynamically changing content at street level."

Content can be programmed into each of the screens
Content can be programmed into each of the screens

Content displayed on the Discovery Wall can be viewed differently at so-called macro, mezzo and micro levels. By looking at the installation in its macro view from across the road, visitors will see a large-scale high-resolution image on what appears to be one large display. The closer individuals get, however, the more levels of detail are uncovered.

At the mezzo level, from outside the window of the building, visitors can see titles of research topics and clusters of images amongst the LED screens. At the micro level, right up close to the installation, visitors can see high-resolution images and paragraphs of related text on the individual screens.

When viewing the Discovery Wall up close at the micro level, visitors will see individual images and text overlays on the mini-screens
When viewing the Discovery Wall up close at the micro level, visitors will see individual images and text overlays on the mini-screens

Content is selected and scheduled using a content management system that was designed for use with the Discovery Wall. As new discoveries are made at the research center, the content is updated. In addition to the layers of content, the curved lenses create a lenticular effect for each mini screen, changing how the artwork looks depending on where the viewer is standing.

"The artwork consists of 2,800 LCD screens in a di-grid," explains Hirsch & Mann on its website. "Each screen is independently controllable and can display any full-sized color block, text and image overlays and full resolution images. Each LCD is capable of displaying 240 x 240 pixels. Each high resolution macro image is 16,800 pixels wide and 9,600 pixels high. It’s a very very large single image – which has to be stitched together in 2,800 240 x 240 segments."

Content can be programmed on to the Discovery Wall using a custom-made content management system
Content can be programmed on to the Discovery Wall using a custom-made content management system

The work is designed to be permanent and has a modular design. All its parts are replaceable and serviceable, meaning maintenance time and costs can be kept to a minimum. It has a power consumption of less than 1 kW.

The video below provides an overview of how the Discovery Wall was made.

Sources: Hirsch & Mann, Squint/Opera

The making of the Weill Cornell Medicine Wall

View gallery - 18 images
1 comment
1 comment
Fishing Zebra
It reminds me of the 1985 sci-fi movie Brazil from director Terry Gilliam. http://verdoux.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/brazil-stills-4.jpg