In 2021 the Ente Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago Toscano decided to renovate and upgrade the Park Houses. These spaces are dedicated to showcasing the natural beauty of the area. In creating immersive and interactive environments, we worked on a new way for visitors to experience biodiversity, acting as consultants and suppliers of multimedia technologies. By our side in this challenge were Nicola Lancetti, Structural Designer and Exhibition Designer, who designed and developed the new architectural and technological layout, and Carraro‑LAB, a company specializing in developing platforms, technologies and innovative content for digital media.
Index
1. The Tuscan Archipelago National Park and multimedia technologies
2. The role of AGMultivision in the Park Houses project
2.1 The choice of multimedia technologies for immersive and interactive environments at the PNAT
2.2 Devices for managing, displaying and interacting with content
3.Communicating biodiversity through multimedia technologies to build value
4. Nicola Lancetti on AGMultivision and the PNAT experience
1. The Tuscan Archipelago National Park and multimedia technologies
The Tuscan Archipelago National Park (PNAT) is a marine park that includes 7 islands and smaller islets, visited by tourists and experts coming to discover and admire the site’s biodiversity. In each of the 7 islands, and in particular on Elba, Giglio and Capraia, there were already facilities dedicated to the endemic plant and animal species of the area. These are real visitor centers, similar to scientific museums. This solution, over time, proved to be insufficient, pushing the Park Authority to redesign routes and tours capable of unifying and enhancing the area’s distinctive features. An investment aimed at stimulating interaction with the public through multimedia technologies and the creation of immersive and interactive spaces.
Photo Credit: Angelo Del Mastro
2. The role of AGMultivision in the Park Houses project
As a technological innovation partner, we were responsible for selecting appropriate multimedia technologies, taking into account the Park Authority’s need to enhance communication through high‑quality images capable of engaging the audience. Guided by As guided by Tiziano Testoni, AV Designer Engineer at AGMultivision, we therefore supplied the multimedia technologies required to create interactive and immersive environments, also taking care of configuring and testing the equipment, and providing training activities for the Park guides. Despite the logistical challenges, related to the difficulty of accessing the islands during peak season, and the technical challenges linked to poor connectivity on the islands, the satisfaction with the work carried out in the renovation and setup of the Park Houses, together with our experience, gave us the right motivation and energy to overcome the difficulties and achieve the goals set with the client.
2.1 The choice of multimedia technologies for immersive and interactive environments at the PNAT
For the Case del Parco of Rio and Marciana on Elba Island, we opted for the high quality of the Philips Professional Displays of the D series (50BDL4550D and 65BDL4550D), videowall X series 49BDL3005X (available as version 49BDL2005X) and the T series 55BDL4051T (new model 55BDL3452T). These highly technological displays can also be controlled remotely when immediate technical support is required. To create a multimedia route illustrating the various natural environments present on the island, we chose to build a 2×2 video wall for the marine environment section, a 2×2 video wall for the Cetacean Sanctuary section, an information display for the Mines, and one for terrestrial fauna. As an integrated solution for content management, we adopted CMND & Create from Philips, which enables, through a server, the control and command of each display and video wall, as well as the creation and distribution of multimedia content. In the Park House of Marciana we also set up a small meeting room, equipped with a 65” display chosen to show content related to the PNAT when it is not being used for meeting presentations. The displays are supported by Chief/Legrand mounts with fine micro‑adjustments and by Peerless‑AV mounts for quick‑release video walls.
Photo Credit: Angelo Del Mastro
Photo Credit: Angelo Del Mastro
2.2 Devices for displaying, interacting with and managing content
For immersive viewing of 3D content, we instead chose Pico G2 4K VR headsets, for a virtual reality experience capable of engaging and inspiring the user. Thanks to these devices, it is possible to explore hard-to-reach places such as mines and caves, or view drone-captured flights. The choice of this technology had a dual effect: the park was able to showcase in detail the unique features of the seven islands of the archipelago and became a source of tourist attraction, making topics that might not have been engaging—especially for younger audiences—much more enjoyable. For content management, we opted for the following devices:
- iPad 8th generation 10.2″ 32GB WiFi only;
- MiniPC Intel Core i5-7200U with Windows 10 Pro, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, complete with accessories (keyboard, mouse, and monitor).
Photo Credit: Angelo Del Mastro
3. Communicating biodiversity through multimedia technologies to create value
Communicating biodiversity through multimedia technologies is an effective way to create shared value across multiple generations of visitors, engaging younger audiences as well—children and teenagers—and modernizing the traditional communication approach of classic museums. The multimedia devices used to create immersive and interactive environments allowed us to communicate through images and sound accompaniment, adapting the message to the needs of new generations and enabling dialogue and interaction. Technology, in fact, reveals details that are often invisible and inaccessible, enhancing the user’s experience; in this context, nature becomes art and offers emotions to those who, by wearing a headset or interacting with a device, become the protagonists of the experience unfolding before their eyes.
Photo Credit: Angelo Del Mastro
4. Nicola Lancetti on AGMultivision and the experience at PNAT
In these years of activity as consultants and system integrators, we have collaborated with valuable partners and encountered organizations such as PNAT, which have enriched our experience with exciting projects. Among these, meeting Nicola Lancetti and working with PNAT allowed us to contribute to a new way of communicating biodiversity through what we deal with every day: multimedia technologies! Regarding the experience at the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago, Nicola Lancetti says:
“AGMultivision is the supplier of multimedia technologies that I choose for my projects. In addition to their expertise in selecting technological devices, the added value lies in their consultancy service. In the interaction between the physical and digital components, they are very skilled and also reliable. They have a strong ability to solve important problems, even in moments of pressure related to timelines and delays. The key word in our relationship is communication; there is dialogue and listening: we speak the same language, even though we come from different fields.”