SensiLab Maker Space and AV setup

A flexible and reconfigurable Maker Space and Audio Visual installation for constantly changing research needs

In 2017 SensiLab moved into a new, custom designed lab space. A large part of this move involved designing and speccing the AV and equipment for the new spaces within the lab. We had 3 major facilities within the lab that we needed to design: our Maker/Atelier space, our immersive projection space (named Deep Immersion), and our audio studio and critical listening space (named the Sonic Lab).

I was involved in the design, specification and install of all three of these spaces. These spaces were not something that we would spec once and leave, they are our active research spaces and reconfigurability and future expansion were very important considerations. I worked closely with the architects and AV contractors on the project to ensure that where possible nothing was designed or installed in such a way that it would be different to change in the future.

The Atelier space consists of a large open table, a workshop and a 3D printing and digital fabrication studio. The large table space allows different projects to setup at different times and encourages people in the lab to make and hack without worrying about getting the way or making a mess. This is very important to the ethos of the lab where we believe that the only way to learn is to make. The workshop has an array of hand tools so that if something needs to be cut or drilled or sanded it can be. The 3D printing space has a number of different 3D printers as well as a small CNC mill and laser cutter. Having these technologies close at hand means that members of the lab can go from an idea to a rough prototype extremely quickly.

In our Deep Immersion space we specified two 4K cinema projectors and a 9m curved screen. The space is easily reconfigured serving as our presentation space, live-streaming venue, VR space and Motion Capture studio with a 16 camera Optitrack Motion Capture system. Everything runs back to a single rack which allows for easy patching between the different systems within the room.

The Sonic Lab is similar to the Deep Immersion space in that it serves a number of different proposes depending on the current research needs. Is it designed to be a working recording space, audio and video editing studio, critical listening space, and audio spatialisation facility. The room is equipped with a 7.1 surround sound system and isolated recording booth. Everything patches back to a rack under the desk and the bulk of the systems within the studio are run off a single mixing desk and iMac Pro. This single system makes it easy to switch between different activities in the studio as it’s only one machine that needs to be switched over.