Hyper-Matrix: A Mind-Bending Display

There are many that say that the IMAX screen is the best screen to watch a movie on. That may have been true up until the Hyper-Matrix was introduced.

According to NBC News, the Hyper-Matrix is an installation by media group Jônpasang. It was created as part of a Hyundai exhibition at Hyundai’s Motor Group Pavilion in Korea. The pavilion was used as a platform to demonstrate the company’s corporate philosophy and future ambitions during the 2012 Yeosu Expo.

Many Korean companies tend to try to appeal to the emotional side of consumers by creating almost irrelevant presentations to grab the consumer attentions, the Hyper-Matrix was Hyundai’s attempt at doing just that.

The Hyper-Matrix uses thousands of individually, mechanized controlled foam cubes.This allows the screen to actually extend outward, and gives an incredible visual performance to the viewer.

CNET.com reported on the Hyper-Matrix presentation, saying that the the cubes moved together in a series of pixelated patterns before going into a projected movie show that featured Hyundai-related multimedia and sweeping landscapes. The Hyper-Matrix then proceded to increase the sense of dimensionality as the projectors displayed images on the individual cubes.

According to Geekologie, the individually controlled blocks themselves are made out of styrofoam and are fitted into an enormous grid of pneumatic pistons. The size of the styrofoam cubes used is 30x30cm. All of the parts are driven by 3375 customized actuators and stepping motors. The communication systemd used were RS-485 and CAN, which provide high-speed data transfer. CAN bus (for controller area network) is a message-based protocol, designed specifically for automotive applications but now also used in other areas such as industrial automation and medical equipment.

Here is the full video of the Hyper-Matrix presentation … enjoy!