Antycip Simulation, a virtual reality and 3D immersive solutions integrator and the European leader for simulation software, delivered a bespoke virtual reality room for the M2S Laboratory at the University of Rennes 2 Sports department.
Measuring 12 metres long by 4 metres wide, the three-sided CAVE allows the university’s Movement, Sport and Health Laboratory (Mouvement, Sport, Santé, or M2S) to investigate interactions between people engaging in sport – helping to further research on health and performance and advance understanding of human movement.
Set in the university’s 30m x 20m large gymnasium, the Immermove CAVE is the result of collaboration between higher education and research partners in Rennes – including ENS and University Rennes 2, alongside the MimeTIC project team from Inria and Irisa.
Immermove brings a virtual opponent or object to an athlete, enabling better understanding of reactions such as a goalkeeper facing a shot at goal, or a rugby player facing an opponent. The objective is two-fold; to improve sport performance, which has prompted partnership with various sports clubs and federations, and to find new approaches to the rehabilitation of athletes.
Johan Besnainou, Antycip’s director for France and Spain, explains: “The M2S laboratory was looking for a technology that would offer excellent details visually, in order to create the most immersive experience possible for both students and professional athletes for a range of sports including football, handball, tennis and volleyball. The goal was to be able to track, analyse and deconstruct movements as well as reactions to help reduce the risk of injuries and improve performance.”
For the main projection area (front screen and floor), Antycip Simulation integrated four Christie Mirage 4K25 projectors, which deliver a 25,000 lumens 4K image at 120Hz, while a Mirage WU12K-M projects content on the right side.
The French integrator designed a unique, ultra-rigid and seamless floor surface that allows athletes to interact with the content without having to use protection on their trainers. Wearing a body tracker, the athletes are tracked by Vicon Bonita cameras and an APEX GPS system.
There were a number of challenges to overcome on the project – not least making a 4K and 120Hz solution for a 12m x 4m screen area. Having a floor that is an integral part of the projection surface meant that Antycip had to design a ground surface that could not only be stepped on constantly, but also perfectly match the content seen on the screens. Further complexities needed addressing during the installation phase, including hardware stabilisation and bandwidth management, all expertly achieved thanks to Antycip’s savoir-faire.
The technical equipment also had to fit in a restricted technical area, offering just four metres of throw distance for the content. The engineering team therefore created bespoke mechanical rigging structures to make the best use of the available space. The University provided its own software application to deliver the content, which is loaded in a master PC before being relayed to five slave PCs and then on to the projectors.
Besnainou continues: “Our role was essentially to expertly select and integrate the best suited suite of high end hardware, with a particular focus on the 4K projectors, the bespoke resin floor as well as the complex mechanical aspect. We are really proud to have been part of this ambitious project, which helps to improve athletes’ performance and ultimately contributes to the competitiveness of French athletes internationally.”
Antycip also handles maintenance over a period of three years, including the need for projector recalibration, lamp replacement and filter cleaning. Affirms Besnainou: “Our commitment to quality of service extends beyond the installation phase – we highly value long term relationships with our customers by supporting them on an ongoing basis so they can to get the best return on investment.”
