Interactive exhibits are the fastest growing segment of our industry with many forms of interactive entertainment being developed by firms from a variety of backgrounds. Atlantis Resort, Nassau Bahamas recently opened “The Dolphin Cay,” an interactive experience where guests can swim and play with real bottlenose dolphins in the paradise setting of the great resort. The new habitat is one of the world’s largest, containing nearly seven million gallons of sea water within three lagoons, surrounded by a white sand beach. The shallow-water dolphin interaction is fun for all ages, and young children can participate while being held by a parent in waist-deep water. During the 30-minute interaction, guests in groups of up to 10 people will touch a dolphin, learn about its physiology up close and engage in memorable experiences.

The overall program at Dolphin Cay lasts between 90-120 minutes, including time to check-in, shower and change into a wetsuit, receive an informative orientation from the marine mammal specialists and the technologies and media provided by Technomedia and its sister company, Convergence.

“We enjoy projects like this because of the blend of interactive technology to support a real life, hands-on experience that brings nature and people together. The best experiences are the ones whose foundation is based on something real, living and awe inspiring like dolphins” noted Technomedia owner and senior creative director, John Miceli. “If you can provide clean, simple to read information that fills in the blanks of what you may or may not know, you go into the hands-on encounter with an upper hand or with a higher comfort level. We were able to be a part of that preparation process.”

Technomedia Solutions scope of work for the Dolphin Encounter was to provide a turnkey system and media to create an interactive edutainment experience for guests of the new Atlantis Resort project. Using the talents of its sister company, Convergence, the team delivered a flawless end product for its long term client. The difference with Technomedia is that they can truly turnkey the media experience in-house without the need for outsourcing work. In Orlando, their facility houses both a full production studio and media creation center with a fully staffed technology design build facility and team. This concept is no stranger to John Miceli as his first company, Soundelux, provided the same types of services for over 12 years prior to selling to Liberty Media Group in 2001. Technomedia is the continuation of his vision to provide a creatively driven technology company that never says “it can’t be done” and always accomplishes the impossible.

The Dolphin Cay at Atlantis is divided into three main sections, each one utilizing the skills and technology provided by Convergence: the Preview Centers, Dolphin Encounter, and the Education Center. The three Preview Centers are the guests’ starting point for the amazing encounter with these delightful mammals. In these buildings, guests are shown a 5-6 minute audiovisual presentation that describes the upcoming activities along with the necessary “do’s and don’ts” associated with up close encounters with one of nature’s most intelligent creatures. A single D&M DNV 200 digital video player delivers Technomedia’s content in pristine resolution. A 92” diagonal rear projection screen was designed to display the media through a Sanyo PLV-WF10 4000 ANSI lumen high contrast projector in landscape mode. The room is lit in a way to accentuate the experience and provide great viewing ability.

The Education Center has four main experiences to enjoy. Conservation Center “Call to Action” utilizes a single Digital Video Player to deliver the content to one of the two Panasonic 50” Plasma monitors in landscape mode. The second monitor is connected to a CPU and has access to the internet for research and conservation sites. The large monitors provide a larger impact on the guests. Dolphin Facts and Features Kiosks in the Dolphin Education Center are filled with questions, facts and features characteristic of dolphins in a fun and entertaining manner. They enable the user to select from a variety of categories.

Each station has a Planar LA1710RTR 17” LCD touch panel and above each station are larger displays (two 42” Panasonic plasmas and six Samsung 32” LCD monitors) that mirror each touch panel-- creating the optimum experience for the user and enabling a larger viewing scope. The Dolphin Communication experience is designed to demonstrate the dolphin’s remarkable capability to communicate. The aim is to learn, share and listen to the dolphins’ abilities to use sound to navigate, hunt, and communicate. The visual element is reinforced by the audio played overhead. A single D&M Digital Video Player plays on two 50” Panasonic Plasma monitors in landscape mode. Museum friendly Soundtube FP6030 parabolic speakers provide a focused audio pattern to enable the guests to experience the audio at a comfortable level without straining to hear or allowing any measurable audio bleed.

For the Dolphin Story Video Wall, Technomedia and Convergence utilized various sizes of plasma monitors in both portrait and landscape modes set mosaically or in a “Mondrian style” along the wall. This video incorporates the dolphins’ daily routine, in addition to informative and entertaining looks at training and family life, as well as including information on how the military, commercial industries and others benefit from dolphins and dolphin research. Five Adtecc Edje 4111-HD Digital Video Players individually feed each display in addition to being synchronized as one large image. The content is “mapped” and produced to follow the design of the plasma displays. Two Panasonic 65”, one Panasonic 50” and two Panasonic 42” plasma monitors exhibit the source material in both portrait and landscape mode across all five displays. For the Sound Reinforcement, 24 Tannoy I6TAW-ICT speakers at a low volume level enhance the presentation.
Nick Phillips, Director of Sales Estimating for Technomedia managing the Kerzner projects commented on the role Technomedia played in that process and how they made a notable contribution to the end product, “In the beginning we were offered a ‘black box’ and asked what ideas we had to enhance a swim with the dolphins experience. We presented the concepts to the Kerzner Development, Dolphin and Executive Teams which became the basis and direction of the final product. Our team, working closely with the client, created a wonderful storytelling experience that has opened to a fanfare of delight from resort guests. The Dolphin Cay and Education Center provide a sparkling jewel in the crown that Atlantis proudly wears as the dominant force in aquatic experiences worldwide.”

Todd Wheeler, Project Manager for Technomedia oversaw the project’s day to day progress, managed the schedules, phases, deliverables and kept everyone (Technomedia’s content, programming, fabrication, etc. and the Kerzner Atlantis Development, Operations, Maintenance, etc teams) on the same page in regards to the expectations and execution of the project. “The teams worked extremely well together, even when presented with the daily challenges of a project on this scale,” explained Wheeler. “Our local contracting partner, ElectroTelecom (Paul Smith, Owner) helped make the project move forward smoothly.”

The teams at both Technomedia and Convergence designed and integrated a fantastic media experience that works flawlessly and heightens the expectations of the guests and works to support their many questions after the fact so they leave fulfilled, educated and they understand what they can do to preserve one of nature’s most beautiful sea animals, the dolphin. • • • •