Canon’s virtual reality dinosaur exhibit in Japan

Imagine visiting a museum which is nothing more than a blank room. Seems pointless, doesn’t it? And yet, people from Canon estimate that half a million people will visit such an exhibit at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. Dinosaur 2009 – Miracles of the Desert is a dinosaur exhibition where you need to wear a pair of virtual reality glasses, when a whole new world opens up to you. Visitors will have the opportunity to walk with the dinosaurs, as their virtual reality glasses project these creatures in 3D right before the viewer.

The exhibition, which lasts from 18th July to 1st August, will offer the viewing of over 260 dinosaur specimens. The data needed for the visual realization is gathered from many fossils of dinosaurs found around the world (North America, China and North Africa). You’ll be able to see some animated dinosaurs and imagine how it was like to walk by the dinosaurs.

The exhibition will contain the fossil exhibition as well. The Mamenkisaurus is the largest dinosaur found and is 45 meters long. They will also exhibit a well preserved dinosaur mummy fossil which is rarely found. One they promote the most is a fossil of a Hadorosaurus, nicknamed Dakota, an herbivore dinosaur which was found in North America. You can find more information about the dinosaurs which are going to be exhibited at the Kyoryu website (available in Japanese).

Technology exhibit area will offer a new experience by using the virtual reality technology in order to show augmented reality. That is accomplished with the usage of video technology and a fancy blend of real time real world and virtual world. The scope and look through the site-wide viewing angle is possible with the usage of high-resolution cards developed by Canon, the CG and real space where 3D dinosaurs emerge.

Canon (available in Japanese) is going to promote their products such as digital SLR cameras, projectors and printers by projecting images of excavations, letting users to take pictures and later print them. It would be nice if or even more advanced and interactive events will become more common in the future.