Brossard, Quebec, 2019
The Bfly recreational centre in Brossard, Quebec, is home to five immersive activities for children: a magical butterfly aviary, a forest-inspired play area, an indoor treetop course, climbing stations and a maze of mirrors. Designed for young children by educational specialists, the centre promotes the values of perseverance, optimism, physical activity, dreams and self-confidence.
Bfly asked the experts at XYZ Creative Technology to help them engage young visitors in an entertaining and educational way. Thus was born the interactive mission to hunt for a series of magical crystals in each of the five zones. Using an interactive wristband, children are instructed to look for as many of these crystals as possible. The intended long-term takeaway is to encourage them to pursue their dreams. Children are allowed to take their “dream stones” home with them at the end of the experience.
The XYZ Cultural Technology team oversaw the design, engineering and programming of the sensors that read the RFID wristbands. In each of the five zones, when young participants place their wristbands near the designated reading devices, an animated crystal appears, powered by a multicolour LED lighting system and accompanied by a signature musical sound. A database allows the technical team to manage each child’s journey as the quest forges ahead. The creation of this interactive system and the miniaturization work that went into the wristbands were the key challenges for XYZ in this project.
In addition, in the magical butterfly aviary, a lighting and projection system makes it possible to explore the space in the dark. Four screens equipped with content readers have also been set up in the centre, as well as a screening room where visitors are introduced to the Bfly experience.
Audiovisual integration Technical design Equipment supply Installation Calibration and programming
XYZ Cultural Technology