St. Roch digital exhibit at the Vancouver Maritime Museum

September 9, 2015

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Taking the wheel of the St. Roch at Vancouver Maritime Museum’s new St. Roch Wheelhouse Experience. (Photo by Flora Gordon, Vancouver Maritime Museum)

Robert Allan Ltd. is pleased to congratulate the students in the Master of Digital Media Program at the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver. Their interactive, accessible project for the Vancouver Maritime Museum‘s St. Roch display was accepted by the ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) SIGGRAPH’s 4th Annual Faculty Submitted Student Work Exhibit which showcases the best student work from similar schools around the world.

The eight students from the Masters of Digital Media program at the Centre for Digital Media who developed the St. Roch Wheelhouse Experience and touchscreen in collaboration with Vancouver Maritime Museum and Haley Sharpe Design

The eight students from the Masters of Digital Media program at the Centre for Digital Media who developed the St. Roch Wheelhouse Experience and touchscreen in collaboration with Vancouver Maritime Museum and Haley Sharpe Design

Proudly sponsored by Robert Allan Ltd., the students’ two-part project adds digital technology to the famed historic RCMP Schooner St. Roch, the centrepiece of the Vancouver Maritime Museum exhibits. The first project incorporates a large touch-table CGI (Computer- Generated Imagery) display enabling all visitors to explore the ship, even those unable to access it physically. The second part, a full-size replica of the St. Roch wheelhouse, allows museum visitors to attempt to “navigate” the ship safely through simulated Arctic hazards. According to Ken Burton, Director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, “The technical and artistic challenges, with respect to this simulation cannot be understated.” The VMM Wheelhouse Simulation project, developed by “Team True North” at CDM has just been nominated as a finalist in two categories in this distinctive competition; “Best Student Project”, and “Community Choice” project, putting this team in very elite company. Winners in all categories will be honoured at the Unity Awards at Unite 2015 in Boston, MA, on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

 

Members of the public playing with the touchscreen at a Vancouver Maritime Museum event. (Photo by Lizzie Brotherston, Vancouver Maritime Museum)

Members of the public playing with the touchscreen at a Vancouver Maritime Museum event. (Photo by Lizzie Brotherston, Vancouver Maritime Museum)

The project was displayed during the SIGGRAPH 2015 conference held in August in Los Angeles, California. A PDF version of the exhibit will be made available to educators on SIGGRAPH’s Education Committee website.

Well done students!