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The Manifesto

The original idea. Written in 2021.

Mission

Ellie is an idea. An idea that begins with human kindness. And the belief that technology, given the right motivation, can be used as a tool to create moments of awe that inspire a sense of connectedness to each other and to the planet.

Within the next 50 years humankind will begin to explore the vastness of space. We will spread and multiply. In this same period, we'll make existential decisions about how we treat the Earth. The decisions we make will impact the whole of nature, and every heartbeat of life contained within. What type of humans do we want to represent us among the stars? Or make these monumental decisions about the future of the planet? If the Cosmos or Mother Nature had a vote, what type of humans would they choose? Can modern technology be harnessed to help foster the best attributes that humankind has to offer, so that the Earth and the Universe aren't forced to deal with our worst?

These are the motivating questions behind Ellie.

Ellie's mission is to build technology that delivers immersive, multi-sensory physical experiences that can alter human perceptions of reality, and spark genuine moments of awe. Awe has an amazing capacity to change our perspective and stimulate empathy. It can promote feelings of peace and generosity. And it can initiate a curiosity and desire to think more critically about what is best for humanity as a whole. And that is Ellie's true mission. To create these sparks of awe, that will hopefully change some of our perspectives to drive a positive impact on our future. Because these are sparks worth kindling. And a fire worth starting.

Product

Ellie is an immersive platform codified by a ~100 page Blueprint for a modular, multi-sensory dome that unlocks the potential for one of a kind immersive experiences. Ellie domes will be equipped with technology that can engage a participant's sense of sight, sound, haptic touch, air movement, and even scent, into a single experience that creates the highest level of immersion possible. These sensory experiences are blended and synchronized by integrated software that will aim to deliver the most "real" experiences possible.

Physical Ellie structures and the accompanying content will be specifically designed to achieve an immersive experience for a single person or a small group. These will be targeted sessions that utilize as many senses as possible to sufficiently alter the participant's sense of reality to achieve a uniquely powerful moment of awe. Or any other flavor of the same feeling…peace, joy, selflessness, empathy, etc. Ellie is not intended to be a multipurpose dome for masses to socialize and watch content. The Ellie experiences are intimate and purpose-built to achieve a new state of mind.

Why "Ellie"?

The name Ellie was inspired by Carl Sagan and his sole fictional novel and movie — "Contact". In it, Dr. Eleanor Arroway (Ellie) leads the SETI program and discovers a signal that repeats a sequence of prime numbers sent from a distant star system. While on the surface, it's a story about first contact with an alien intelligence, the underlying message is about global human collaboration to decipher, and then build, a machine based on faith and hope. It pulls no punches and dives head first into existential questions about science and spirituality. It also highlights the impact that one individual's passion and enthusiasm can have on the future of the human race.

But of particular relevance is the nature of the machine itself. In the book, the fully translated message is a blueprint for a 12 sided dome-like dodecahedron that a handful of humans can fit inside. When switched on, Ellie and her fellow crewmates are transported millions of miles from Earth. They experience an entirely new reality in their encounter with a benevolent alien species and they return profoundly changed, with a new perspective on life and appreciation for our home planet. However, from an outside observer's view, no time had passed and the dodecahedron seemingly didn't move at all.

From within this device these explorers were able to travel across the cosmos, gain extraordinary knowledge and wisdom, and return with a desire to make the world a kinder, better place. And it could be said that it all came from a place within them, with no clear proof that it happened at all, other than their changed perspective.

They accessed the entirety of the Universe, from a place of stillness, where time and space had no hold on reality.

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere." — Carl Sagan

Components

Dome & Projection Display

360° projection dome enables user to be enveloped into visual experience. 4 DLP Projectors for full coverage placed with 3 at 45° and the last at 180° from center of the others. Capacity for 10 people seated or 4 performing activities. Lightweight frame enables both a floor mounting solution available or ceiling suspension (~150kg weight). Variable tilt angle depending upon viewing requirement (lying down would be no tilt).

Floor/Seating Configuration

The floor and seating can be configured based on the type of desired experience. Initial examples include wood flooring for yoga/fitness, water based (pool, hot tub, float spa) with accompanying underwater audio and haptics, visual theater seating, meditation chair/cushion, large center bed, and even a simulated sandy beach with beach chair.

Lighting

Addressable lights along the rim of the dome visually extends the display beyond the dome's rim with responsive peripheral lighting. Lights point both into the dome and away from it. Each addressable light will have its color and intensity controlled by the timeline platform.

Surround Sound

Surround sound enriches the experience provided by the sessions. Multiple channels allow users to directionally comprehend the environment they are in.

Air Movement & Temperature

This system utilizes directional blowers to simulate incoming air from multiple directions and an insert for the air blower to provide warm or cool air at points in the session with optional scented air filters for an enhanced sensory experience.

Floor & Seating Haptics

Floor haptics enable users to feel vibrations emanating from various directions with differing paths across the floor. All haptics are synchronized within the timeline of other sensory components.

Telepresence

A camera positioned on the rim of the dome enables a user to stream themselves to other domes using the platform. When projected onto the other dome they appear as an overlay on the visual the user is experiencing. As the user moves, their projection is mapped onto the dome to avoid image warping on the projected medium. Additionally, this stream could be broadcast to or from a non-dome platform display (such as a laptop or tv). Using volumetric captured subjects transposed into virtual worlds can create more realistic displays of users or collaborators within the platform.

Existing Content

Most high resolution 360 and 180 content that was filmed for VR will be applicable as well as all fulldome content that has been created.

Example Experiences

The experiences below can be combined with guided meditation instruction. By synchronizing visual, audio, and haptic engagement, the often difficult concentration skills and general meditation concepts can be greatly accelerated for new meditators. This is especially applicable for mindfulness based meditation.

Day At The Beach

Sand covered floor base, beach chair seating, visual and spatial audio of beach scene, periodic beach breeze, cooling & heating timed with cloud and sun movement, subtle ocean scent.

Night Under The Stars

Bed floor base, full milky way star projection, spatial nature/animal audio, periodic cooling wind simulation, subtle grassy field scent.

Meditation On A Mountain Summit

Chair or floor cushion base, visual and spatial audio of mountain summit scene, periodic cooling wind simulation, subtle pine tree scent.

Earth Orbit Simulation (The Overview Effect)

Chair floor base, visual simulation of takeoff from Earth to zero gravity orbit destination with haptic vibration engine simulation.

Immersive Music Concert

Chair or dance floor base, custom video simulation of live concert or artistic visualization synchronized to music projected onto the dome, haptic floor vibration synchronized with music.

Scuba Dive Within Coral Reef

Chair, water, or flat floor base, visual and spatial audio of swimming through coral reef, subtle haptic vibration of water current.

Rowing Workout Simulation On A Lake

Rowing machine floor base, visual and spatial audio of gliding through lake, synchronized with rowing cadence, synchronized wind simulation with rowing cadence, subtle lake scent.

Treadmill Run Along A Tree-lined Nature Path

Treadmill machine floor base, visual and spatial audio of running through tree-lined path, synchronized with treadmill speed, synchronized wind simulation, subtle forest scent.

Floating With Video, Audio And Water Haptics

Float spa floor base. Video projection and underwater audio speakers projecting various experiences, water jet haptics synchronized with video/audio scenes.

Disembodiment — Experience Life As A Bat, Or A Horse…Or A Cloud

Custom floor base, custom visual, audio, wind, haptic, scent simulation.

Yoga Or Workout In The Forest

Yoga mat floor base, visual and spatial audio of forest scene, synchronized wind simulation, subtle forest scent.

Example Installation Locations