What is the 4Di

4Di is an advanced PM3 platform meant for use by Institutions and enterprises for communication with large groups of people. It allows many people to interact with it (and through it with each other) in one location at the same time. Think of it as a Massively Multiplayer Game with all its users in the same location in the real world. Fans of the famous Star Trek television series me equate the interaction with the Holodeck.

People interact with the 4Di in many ways:

• Touch screens: 4Di can support very large screens ranging from just 2 meters to more than 30 meters.
• Mobile gateway: 4Di system can communicate with multiple mobiles simultaneously via GPRS, Bluetooth and WiFi.
• Camera Vision: 4Di can interact with large crowds using camera vision
• Online presence: 4Di also allows people to log into it using the internet like regular virtual worlds

Furthermore many users can be using all or any of these interactions at the same time.

The 4Di gives feedback to its user in many forms well:

• Panoramic Projection: 4Di’s projection can be a scaled to a very wide view of the virtual world and can be wraparound and include the floor and roof of the lab as well.
• Positional sound: 4Di features cutting edge intelligent positional sound
• Real immersion: Other than the graphics and sound 4Di can also engage other senses with wind, humidity, temperature and scents.

The 4Di Platform is implemented as part of the Future Schools project for Canberra Primary School. The platform has been demonstrated as various conferences including the PS21 Excel fest, Games Convention Asia 2009 and ICTLT 2008.  Another Lab is setup at the Playware Offices and others are being setup in partnership with the London Knowledge Lab for the University of London and the Ancient Civilizations Museum in Singapore.