The Burj Khalifa creates a new virtual reality attraction on the floor 125

An interactive floor has been created that simulates that it is cracking as you step on. For their realization they have been used 18 LG OLED 8K screens 55 Inch, two BrightSign XT1144 players and 15 Nexmosphere XDW-M44 sensors.

BrightSign, DigiComm and Lg have collaborated to realize a new attraction of immersive virtual reality on the floor 125 of the emblematic Burj Khalifa Dubai.

with 160 floors and more than 828 meters high, the skyscraper has been captivating visitors for nearly ten years. In addition to the stunning views, offered from the world's tallest outdoor observation deck, and a high-speed cruise in the farthest elevator on the planet, thrill seekers can experience climbing the outside of the structure and paratroopering from the top thanks to an immersive virtual reality simulation.

The owners of the tower, Emaar Properties, they were looking to create a sensational new attraction on the floor 125 of the building known as 'At the Top', receiving around 10.000 visitors per day. Next to LG, an interactive and realistic simulation of a glass floor over the city that seems to crack when stepped on has been created.

“They wanted something really spectacular and very entertaining”, explains Abdul Bakhrani, CEO Dubai-based digital media studio and systems integrator of DigiComm, and responsible for the contents, attraction means and special effects, as well as other facilities within the building, including the virtual reality experience.

For the realization of this 'interactive floor' have been used 18 LG OLED 8K screens 55 Inch, built with extremely durable hardened glass; as well as two brightsign XT1144 expanded I/O players. The screens show a visual animation of great realism of the city, to 456 meters deep, which changes according to the time of day and the season. Content is programmed and controlled by BrightSign players.

The installation also uses 15 sensors Nexmosphere XDW-M44, of which seven are connected to an XM-350 Xperience Controller system that connect to XT1144 media players.

When a visitor activates a sensor, a virtual crack begins to form in the floor of the skywalk and intensifies. As they keep walking, the glass cracks under them. High-resolution CGI graphics, combined with synchronized audio, result in an exciting feeling that the soil is cracking to 125 floors above ground.

According to Bakhrani, using OLED displays in this way was something new, and deploying motion sensors with so many thousands of people was also a challenge. “It took a lot of trial and error to get the right configuration. We ourselves didn't know how it would work with such a large number of visitors. We were testing the waters, collecting information and constantly improving. It took us about two weeks to get the desired effect”.

BrightSign players were selected because they are very robust, technically viable and cost-effective. “The requirement was that they could be deployed and then left to operate the 24 hours of the day with a minimum of management”, explains Bakhrani.

Media content is not expected to change for some time, as the exhibition is very popular and effective and most visitors are tourists who only come once to the Burj Khalifa. “It's very realistic. Some people think it's real and feel scared.

Lg, BrightSign and DigiComm have previously collaborated on other projects, including a shark experience at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, combining digital technology with live fish.

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