The internet is full of videos that allow people to get a taste of an experience. Perhaps it’s through first-person footage of someone skydiving. Or maybe an aerial shot of an expansive landscape through the lens of a drone. While this type of footage invokes some level of immersion, it lacks key components that can take it further.
4D FX changes that by combining numerous cutting-edge technologies to take a normal viewing experience and turn it into something more immersive. How? We’ll show you as we take a look at what 4D FX is and how it’s achieved.
“Going beyond the visuals – 4D FX is an entertainment experience you can feel”
Highlight Video of L&F's 4D Immersive Theater Dome for Jeep
What is 4D FX?
4D FX refers to four-dimensional effects that pair what you’re seeing and hearing with additional stimuli. Take, for example, the traditional viewing experience. When you’re watching something on a TV, only two senses are engaged: visual and auditory. You see the picture on the TV and hear the sound coming from its speakers. 4D immersive environments go beyond that by engaging more senses, like touch and smell.
Consider you’re watching a video of someone riding a bike through a pine forest. Rather than just seeing the trees go by, you can smell them. You can feel the wind on your skin from the motion of the bike. Your seat may even shift and rumble beneath you to simulate the experience of riding on an uneven dirt road. This is all achieved through the implementation of different technologies, which we’ll look at next.
4D Theater Showing of Dune
Dreambox 360 Immersive Room Installation
How 4D FX Creates Immersive Experiences
We’re going to touch on some of the different ways technology can be used to create an immersive experience using 4D FX.
Projection Mapping
Visual effects are arguably one of the biggest parts of an immersive experience. Achieving a heightened level of immersion with traditional flat-screen displays can be challenging. Instead, you’re going to need something more unique: projection mapping. 4D projection mapping describes the process of using several, carefully-aligned projectors to create a large but seamless projection. Typically, this is combined with 360 video projection to transform the entire space.
This is especially useful in projection domes. Such domes, which take on a spheric or geodesic shape, curve over the viewers in the audience. This ensures that even the viewer’s peripheral vision is covered and every inch of the space is occupied to create a seamless image.
Surround Sound
Sound plays a critical role in creating an immersive experience. Well-executed audio adds realistic depth to what the audience is seeing. Surround sound works by enveloping the viewer from multiple directions, replicating how the scene would sound as if they were placed right in it. This adds a sense of spatial awareness that draws viewers deeper into the scene.
Spatial audio technology takes it even further. It’s used in advanced 4D FX setups and dynamically adjusts sounds based on the viewer’s position. For example, if a helicopter flies overhead in the video, the sound will move accordingly.
Projection Mapping 360 Room at The X Pot
Environmental Effects
Environmental effects are a key component of 4D FX in any application. There are several environment effects that can be implemented to replicate real-world sensations, such as the following
- Wind Blasts – Blasts of wind can be simulated with air jets, fans, or compressed air systems, which can be synchronized with what’s on-screen to simulate wind, explosions, and high-speed movement.
- Temperature changes – Infrared heaters and cooling fans or liquid nitrogen systems can be used to quickly change the temperature of the room, matching environmental conditions like the heat from a dry desert or the chill of a snowy tundra.
- Water Mist – Ultrasonic misting systems or fine spray nozzles can be used to release water mists that replicate the sensation of rain, ocean sprays, and splashes.
- Scents – Scent diffusion systems use cartridges that deliver specific smells at different points in the experience. If you’ve ever been on Disney’s Soarin’ Around the World ride, you may remember this. Each scene that’s displayed has its own distinct smell that matches the environment on-screen.
Motion Seats
Motion seats add a physical component to the 4D special effects experience, mimicking the sensation of movement, vibration, and impact. They can be programmed to synchronize with the on-screen action, allowing the audience to feel what they see.
Oftentimes, these motion seat systems use hydraulic, pneumatic, or electromechanical actuators to create a range of effects. Their range of motion, which include tilting, vibrating, and shaking, are useful for replicating a wide range of sensations, from the gentle sway of a boat at sea to the sharp turns of being in a high-speed car chase.
Interactive Elements
Adding interactive elements to the experience turns guests from passive viewers into active participants. Motion technology like infrared sensors, cameras, and LiDAR can detect audience movements and translate that into on-screen responses. For example, you can set it up so that waving a hand causes ripples on the screen, or stepping in a specific zone triggers environmental effects like wind or sound.
LiDAR Laser Scanning with Preevue
LiDAR Laser Scanning of Auditorium by Preevue
4D FX in Action
It’s much easier to see what 4D FX looks like rather than imagine it. Here are some projects we’ve done that included the use of 4D FX.
Immersive Dome for Jeep at 2018/19 Winter X-Games
The Jeep Dome 4D immersive theater created by Lumen and Forge at the Winter X-Games is a very good example of 4D FX. It delivered a 4D FX experience simulating an off-road ride in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The 30’ geodesic dome featured 360° projection mapping using ten 5K lumen HD laser projectors, seamlessly blended into a 4K UHD display. Motion-activated heated leather seats mimicked the vehicle’s movements, while scent boxes, fans, and a 5.1 Adam audio system added realistic environmental effects.
L&F's 4D Immersive Theater Dome for Jeep
Immersive Entertainment Venue for Dreambox360
The Dreambox360 5D entertainment venue at The LINQ Promenade in Las Vegas, also created by Lumen & Forge, is another good example of 4D FX technology. The experience features eight ceiling-mounted Optoma 4K projectors, delivering seamless 360-degree projections enhanced by custom-calibrated lasers and fog systems for a multi-sensory journey. Using motion capture (MOCAP) technology, Lumen & Forge created immersive 3D content for experiences like “The Arctic Ghost Ship” and “The Weekend Trip.”
Dreambox 360 4D Immersive Experience at The LINQ Promenade
4D FX by Lumen & Forge
The versatility of 4D FX means it can be implemented in almost any way. Interior design companies can use it to create a dynamically changing showroom, and tech companies can showcase their latest product and allow visitors to get hands-on with a digital preview.
Thinking about implementing 4D FX as part of your project or event? Lumen and Forge has an extensive background working with all the immersive technologies to execute the perfect 4D FX experience. Get in touch to discuss a custom solution that will convey your message and create an unforgettable experience.
