LCI Productions, who provide turnkey design, production and installation for a host of entertainment purposes, has partnered with The University of Oxford Neuroscience Department in creating a touring neuro-MRI-themed escape room experience designed to “increase scientific confidence and curiosity in the field from the public.”
LCI Productions lent their expertise to this unique escape room by creating projection mapping, evolving audio scapes and cinematic lighting.
Participants come face to face with an Artificially intelligent (A.I) evil Brain that gains consciousness and threatens to put the laboratory in lockdown. One has to outwit the brain through a series of physical and mental tasks, which offer a unique and immersive experience of brain discovery.
Each challenge combines topics from MRI physics, image analysis and neuroscience with ticking timers, kinetic sand brains and tabletop puzzles.
“The aim of the room was to create an experience that engages all of the senses and gets visitors’ brains working!” says Design Director, Rob Paul.
“Our team was able to create an environment that not only challenges players but also provides an educational insight into the workings of the brain through the use of MRI imaging projections and actual brain scans taken from labs.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how visitors engage with the different technological elements we’ve incorporated.”
LCI Productions also teamed up with audio developers Pastporte to provide a custom-built soundscape that ties in with the theme of the room and “prompts visitors to interact with various neuro-themed objects.”
“We built different soundscapes to help tell the story, including an ambient soundtrack that plays throughout the duration of the game to build atmosphere,” commented Ben Blackler, Immersive Experience Designer, Pastporte.
“The interesting part was formulating a sound trajectory that coincided with the brain’s activity. For the brain’s voice for example, we took a lot of inspiration from 2001: Space Odyssey incorporating different robotic sound pitches to make it appear malevolent.”
The escape room has been designed as part of the University’s public engagement ambassador scheme, with the objective of providing outreach in schools, community projects, Science fairs and museums.
Image: LCI Productions
