Yesterday, Nexus Interactive Arts (NIA) unveiled its new “Futureville” interactive installation at the London Science Museum, with none other than the Prince of Wales himself, Prince Charles, on hand to introduce visitors to the new educational game. The installation is the latest part of the “Engineer Your Future” exhibition, which will be taking residence at the South Kensington museum until December 2017. Futureville is one of the most ambitious installations the exhibition has housed yet; a high-tech multi-player experience created by NIA director, Jim Le Fevre, which is based on the company's proprietary Nexus Stage technology and design system, that launched earlier this year.
NIA unveiled its new “Futureville” interactive installation at the London Science Museum yesterday
The installation aims to inspire young people to consider a future career in engineering by bringing to life the skills engineers use in their profession every day. It's built around a vibrant digital city, which is projected onto a 3D printed mechanical set. Up to fivers players at any one time will be able to interact with the set via their smartphones, unlocking up to eight “Zones” in the city by driving around and picking up engineers, and then delivering them to their places of work. Each engineer represents one of the wide variety of real-world career options available to engineers that users can learn about once they have unlocked their respective zones.
Futureville was constructed at NIA's own London studio by director Jim le Fevre
Futureville was constructed at NIA's own London studio and uses the same ideas and technology behind their revolutionary Nexus Stage platform. Nexus Stage was launched earlier this year as a “New immersive platform for public digital interaction,” converging the physical and digital worlds using a combination of 3D printing, digital processing and user interaction. The functioning Nexus Stage prototype actually served as the blueprint for the Futureville installation, which is the first of its kind to be used in the public domain.
Nexus Stage – An Introduction
BAFTA award-winning animator and director, le Fevre, said it was “Fascinating to explore” the technology, in the hope of inspiring kids to understand more about engineering.” He feels that the installation's “Physically dynamic set,” is a unique selling point, and he is “Thrilled to be part of the start of something special.” He calls the project a “Truly unique combination of technologies” and a “Beguiling and beautiful experience,” and hopes that it can bring “Some of the magic of the real world back into the slightly alienating digital gold rush.”
“The UK's attitude towards engineering hasn't changed in nearly forty years” Prince Charles
Prince Charles spoke at opening of the installation, hoping it will go some way towards changing the UK's attitude towards engineering, which he believes “Hasn't changed in nearly forty years.” He said “There are engineering skills shortages at both graduate and technician level, and we are simply not doing enough to bridge that gap.” His speech wasn't completely hopeless though, he closed by saying that the challenge the UK was facing was an “Opportunity” for the engineers of the future to step up to the plate, and hopes the exhibit, which is aimed primarily at 11-15 year olds, will help extend the bridge, even if only slightly.
The Engineer Your Future exhibition aims to teach young people about the joys of the profession
The Engineer Your Future exhibition aims to teach young people about the joys of the profession, and how it can be a rewarding, fun and creative potential career. Futureville is the latest in a long line of interactive games and digital experiences that highlight skills such as problem solving, and the ability to explore and assimilate to unfamiliar landscapes, which engineers in the real world use every day. According to the museum's website, the idea is to give visitors “The chance to see, experience and develop their engineering skills, in the hope that they will consider one of many engineering roles as a future career option.”
