The National Museum of Natural Science (NMNS) in Taichung, Taiwan, has recently undergone a significant technological transformation in its iconic Space Theater. Originally opened in 1986, the theater features a vast 23-meter semi-spherical dome with 300 seats arranged on a sloped floor. The museum’s latest upgrade replaces its aging lamp-based projection system with Christie’s cutting-edge Griffyn 4K35-RGB pure laser projectors, marking a major leap forward in immersive cosmic visualization and science education within the region.
This upgrade officially debuted to the public in November, signaling a new era for Taiwan’s planetarium capabilities. By harnessing the high brightness and spectacular color reproduction made possible by RGB pure laser technology, the NMNS Space Theater aims to offer visitors an unparalleled journey through the universe—immersing audiences in starry skies and cosmic phenomena with unprecedented clarity and realism.
Dr. Chilong Lin, a researcher at NMNS, highlights the leap in visual quality brought about by this change: “With the Space Theater’s recent upgrade from traditional lamp-based illumination to RGB pure laser projectors, we’ve seen a remarkable increase in brightness, along with color saturation and vibrancy that far surpass previous standards. The audience’s viewing experience has been greatly enhanced, and with an overall resolution exceeding 7.2K × 7.2K, our visual presentation quality now stands among the finest in the world.” Terence Lee, executive vice president of Dacoms Technology, the system integrator behind the upgrade, reinforces this by adding, “The Griffyn 4K35-RGB’s superior color fidelity, brightness, and quiet operation make it the perfect solution for dome projection at the NMNS, setting a new benchmark for planetarium visuals in Taiwan.” This partnership between Christie and Dacoms ensured meticulous installation, calibration, and maintenance, sustaining optimal performance and reliability.
At the core of this innovation lies Christie’s Griffyn 4K35-RGB projectors, which collectively produce native 4K resolution imagery with brightness levels soaring up to 36,500 ISO lumens. The projectors also achieve roughly 98% of the Rec. 2020 color gamut, ensuring that the shades of celestial bodies and cosmic dust display with breathtaking accuracy and depth. Six units are installed in a circular array around the dome, leveraging exact geometric correction and edge blending to seamlessly stitch the images into a continuous 360-degree experience. This precise alignment and brightness uniformity are crucial in fulldome environments, where any visual discontinuities can disrupt the immersive illusion.
Beyond raw resolution and brightness, unique challenges such as dome geometry, projection angles, and heat management were systematically addressed. Dacoms and Christie developed a custom cooling airflow system and undertook comprehensive calibration, resulting in a vivid, color-rich visual experience within a quieter, more comfortable environment. This allowed the installation of the latest Digistar system, which supports multiple content formats and real-time star simulations—a critical feature for dynamic educational programs and interactive shows. These technical advances bring together stellar content presentation, high fidelity planetarium visuals, and operational reliability.
This major technical upgrade is poised to influence the fulldome industry in multiple ways. First, it raises the standard for immersive planetary and cosmic environments, enabling content producers to push visual storytelling boundaries with richer, more detailed imagery. The increase in luminosity and color gamut directly enhances the realism and educational impact of astronomical presentations, making complex cosmic phenomena more accessible and engaging for audiences of all ages. For venues, the success of the NMNS retrofit signals a viable approach to rejuvenating legacy planetariums without wholesale reconstruction, integrating next-generation laser projectors with existing dome infrastructure.
However, adoption barriers remain, primarily linked to cost, installation complexity, and operational maintenance of high-performance laser projectors. Nonetheless, the project’s success demonstrates that with expert collaboration—exemplified by the NMNS and Dacoms partnership—these challenges can be overcome. Educational venues seeking to inspire curiosity about the universe through immersive, interactive visual experiences now have a tested model that blends cutting-edge projection technology with sustainable operation.
In sum, the NMNS Space Theater upgrade encapsulates how advances in RGB pure laser projection technology are redefining immersive media in cultural and educational institutions. By delivering clearer, brighter, and more vivid cosmic imagery, this innovation enriches the audience experience and sets a new benchmark for planetarium excellence, potentially shaping the future of fulldome content creation and exhibition across Asia and beyond.
Originally reported by Rebecca Hardy via blooloop.com on 2025-11-26 04:02:00.
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