Most Prestigious Zoo in Europe to Receive definiti Theater

Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam will be First on the Continent with Sony SXRD Projectors

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 21, 2006

The world-renowned Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam, boasting 1.2 million visitors per year, will be the first site in Europe to receive the latest projection technology in Sky-Skan's definiti™ theater line. In a ceremony today, Sky-Skan president Steve Savage met with Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam director Haig Balian to sign the contract for the new theater. In an exciting first for a European Full Dome theater, two Sony SXRD projectors will show the night sky with amazing clarity along with exciting Full Dome video shows from top-notch producers. The change to Sky-Skan marks the sixth theater to be contracted in 2006 which will take advantage of the definiti HD lens that allows SXRD projectors from Sony to work in the unique dome environment. Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam already had Sky-Skan's SPICE Automation handling control duties in the theater, so adding this digital projection completes an already fruitful relationship between the two organizations.

Michel Hommel, head of education and the planetarium of the Amsterdam Zoo elaborated: "We have been working towards this goal for years and today we finished our dreams for the future. With a digital projection system in, education and entertainment will inspire children and adults throughout Europe to its best. Sky-Skan has become a partner for life now...you are all invited to come to Amsterdam to enjoy our dream as well."

The renovated theater will seat 328 visitors under a 20-meter (66-foot) dome. The theater is part of the large Zoo complex, a location well-known as the oldest and most prestigious zoo on the European continent. The playback shows slated for the location include Mirage3D's life and planetary science epic Origins of Life, and the lively computer animated characters of Kaluoka'hina, The Enchanted Reef from Softmachine.

DigitalSky 2 software will be running the playback shows (which run around 30 minutes each) as well as real-time shows custom created by Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam staff for their unique needs. A real-time show could be as simple as an astronomy lesson from the night sky projected on the dome-a view impossible outside the dome because of city light pollution but beautiful when simulated by SXRD projectors and Sky-Skan's world-renowned software and hardware. But the system's built-in data allows far more visualizations: including the solar system in stunning detail. Two projectors each have a special lens developed by Sky-Skan to allow sharp, bright colors even though the highly curved screen presents many challenges for digital projectors. The success of definiti theaters means a real-time show can take audiences beyond the bounds of earth-the limitation of the previous star projector-into the delights of our solar system and beyond into the cosmos. The system was designed around the needs of multimedia, so the pictures, video, text, and 3D objects that the staff imagines on the dome can be assembled into their own shows that relate directly to their Amsterdam's audience and changing needs. The planetarium's attendance has been 200,000 visitors per year in the past, and is expected to grow as with the updated theater. Sky-Skan is pleased to see such a historical site to grab hold of the latest technology to keep their large audiences educated, but in a way that will also inspire their imaginations for the future.

Note: Two photos of the contract signing are available (TIF and JPG formats in ZIP file):

http://www.skyskan.com/pr/media/skyskanphoto0058.zip

http://www.skyskan.com/pr/media/skyskanphoto0059.zip

About Artis Royal Zoo Amsterdam

Artis, the Royal Zoological Society 'Natura Artis Magistra', was founded on 1 May 1838, at the initiative of the book dealer G.F.Westerman. Its purpose was: 'to promote the knowledge of Natural History, in a clear and agreeable way; both by assembling an extensive collection of living animals and by displaying mounted exhibits from the animal kingdom.' In the first half of the 19th century, the combination of a zoo, scientific collections, a Zoological Laboratory and Museum as well as the academically exceptional Artis Library, was quite unique.

Since 1988 visitors to Artis have free access to the Zoological Museum's exhibition halls. The addition of the Planetarium and the Geological Museum completes Artis's story on life.

About Sky-Skan

In 1967, Sky-Skan began by bringing lively special effects to planetariums, broadening the educational capabilities of the dome theater. In the 1980s, the SPICE Automation system was developed and has became an industry standard with all types of theaters and installations worldwide relying on SPICE equipment every day. In the late 1990s, SkyVision began the digital revolution for dome theaters, turning the dome into an unlimited canvas for the first time. Today definiti™ theaters running DigitalSky extend the capabilities into real-time 3D and multimedia functionality. Sky-Skan maintains production and distribution facilities for shows, consultation and design staff for turnkey theater installations, support and training departments, and the renowned engineering department. Installations of definiti theaters continue to grow at a rapid pace, including The University of Notre Dame (Indiana), the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum (Washington, D.C.), the Eugenides Planetarium (Greece), the Melbourne Planetarium (Australia), and onboard the luxury ocean liner Queen Mary 2.

Press Contact
Marcus Weddle
Sky-Skan
Phone Number: +1 603 880-8500
E-Mail: weddle@skyskan.com