Barco unleashes Magic-Y™ at ASTC 2003

“We have a vision of what science museums will need in the future,” said Raul Cid, Edutainment and Entertainment Business Development Manager of Barco Simulation. “What we want to do is engage ourselves, especially in the cycle of innovation, and try to speak the same language that the museums are speaking. New trends in museum exhibits are headed towards group participation and collaboration and Magic-Y is completely in tune with that trend.”

At the Science Museum of Minnesota, ASTC 2003 attendees were treated to both a Bridge-Building demonstration and a Global Net demonstration on the Magic-Y system in the Barco booth. In the Bridge-Building demonstration, participants collaborated by using Magic-Y wands to choose appropriate shapes and colors and then magically pass them from one environment (the left-hand screen) to a work palette (sp) (the right-hand screen) where they would build a bridge. Alternately, the Global Net demonstration displayed Internet information capabilities. Earth floated on the left-hand screen, and when participants magically touched a city on the globe, it could be dragged to the right-hand screen where related web pages would appear.

The Magic-Y system allows up to 10 participants to use the wand (a pointing device) to manipulate images on one or more projection screens. After the completion of each learning experience or cycle, the wands are returned to a storage/charger unit. The Magic-Y interactive display is an excellent demonstration of the use of the latest available Barco display technology for the purpose of educating and entertaining an audience. This interactive display can also be operated in both front- and rear-projection configurations in order to accommodate the facility’s floor space requirements.

Currently, Barco’s Magic-Y system is beginning a US tour. It will be featured in nine museums around the United States. Previously the Magic-Y was showcased at the 2003 ECSITE Annual Conference in London.

Barco’s desire to foster innovative technology in science museums and planetariums spurred the Barco Innovation Partner (BIP) program. Launched by Barco’s Edutainment and Entertainment product group, the program matches funds to help partners finance projects. To qualify for BIP funding, all projects must spend 30 percent on innovation and development. The goal is to stimulate the innovation of technology that enables or facilitates group interaction. The BIP program is open to all members of the worldwide Science Museum and Planetarium community, with a maximum limit of 20 organizations. Currently, two partners have joined the BIP program, the Technisches Museum Wien in Vienna, Austria, and the Museum of Technology in Kerdrade, Netherlands.

About Barco
Barco, an international company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, is active in three key areas of imaging technology. Barco designs and develops solutions for large screen visualization, display solutions for life-critical applications, and systems for visual inspection. Barco has a network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents in almost 100 countries. Barco is quoted on Brussels/Euronext and is a BEL 20 and a Next 150 company.

About ASTC
The ASTC Annual Conference is the world's leading meeting for science centers and other science-rich museums. More than 1,000 science center directors, scientists, educators, and exhibit creators attend more than 100 conference sessions and workshops, interest group meetings, exhibits, and educational field trips. Barco supported ASTC 2003 by providing Barco Galaxy projectors for the planning sessions designed to promoted academic discussions.

For more information, please contact

Els Van Loocke
Marketing Communications Manager
Barco Presentation&Simulation

Telephone +32 56 368667
contact.bps@barco.com

Jay Luis
Director of Marketing Communications (US)
Barco Simulation USA

Telephone +1 937 372.7579
jay.luis@barco.com