Project Title:  MIcrotiles, event information 

Museum/ Institution: at The Museum of Modern Art, NYC 

Media Category: digital signage 

Program Created:  For event on  June 9, 2010 

Program URL (if available):  

http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/digital-signage/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.mccannsystems.com/index.php?s=microtiles

Project Image(s) and/or Video

Media Source(s)/Credit(s):

McCann Systems

Christie

Program Description:

These modules were installed at The Museum of Modern Art in New York for a special event. The images are on modules called Microtiles, produced by Christie (a California based subsidiary of Ushio, Inc.of Japan). They are offered as a configurable, modular, alternative to flat screen or projection. They each unit is a 12”(h) x 16”(w) x 10” (d) cube. When the bezel-less screens are stacked together, the seams are only 1mm. The units are self-calibrating, and coordinate as a group, maintaining uniform settings (brightness, contrast, color). Special software allows each cube to “know” its place in the configuration, without any special programming needed. Because each cube is full resolution, the total configuration produces a much higher resolution than one screen, or series of large screens.  In addition to very high resolution, they are designed to have good color saturation under any lighting conditions and at any distance. An LED system, there is no need to change bulbs often, as in a large-scale projection system. It's very large digital signage without a projection system. In this instance, the Microtiles are installed in custom designed stands built by McCann Systems; AudioVisual Integration and Design. There is an external control unit added to the usual PC and/or media player. The modules can be used interactively. See the Miami Dolphins/Miami Stadium “Buzz Wall”, mixing live video, interactivity, social media and information all on one coherent wall: http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/digital-signage/visual-display-technology/new-digital-display-technology/Pages/miami-dolphins-choose-christie-microtiles-and-arsenal.aspx.

Firsthand or secondary review/critique:  

Even though the event was unrelated to museum exhibits (an Association of Independent Commercial Producers awards show), it was at MoMA and has a look that fits with the museums. It’s a new technology, introduced in 2010, and there aren’t a lot of museum examples. I would love to know the costs. It seems have a very beautiful in color saturation and resolution, and the mix or brilliant image and large-scale interactivity has many possibilities. Additionally, it seems very user friendly for such dramatic scale and impact, features that would work well in museum buildings that are often very large (sometimes crowded and sometimes spare). The ability to configure the modules to irregular shapes would work well for any size museum, with towers or stepped configurations to fit a smaller space.

As written in the Christie White Paper: “ Going Big has been a huge challenge so far in the digital signage and digital out of home sectors…we believe we have come up with a compelling and viable solution”.  I think they might be right. Even so, the small scale use shown here works well, offering visual information, and an alternative to the familiar, flat rectangle.

Christie White Paper on MIcrotiles: christie-microtiles-whitepaper.pdf

Technologies incorporated:

 DLP rear projection, LED, media player, PC 

Internally or externally produced:

Externally

Entry Contributor and Date: 

Laurie Stepp 3/5/11

Related projects:  

http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/digital-signage/digital-display-case-studies/digital-display-installation-stories/Pages/NASCAR-Hall-of-Fame.aspx