The world’s first fully instrumented auditorium brings researchers, partners and the public together to test innovative new digital content and co-develop new technology that will benefit all our futures.

What is it?

An innovative 150m² auditorium, plus a modern, digitally connected projection room. The facility enables teams drawn from all sectors, disciplines and the public to evaluate individual and group responses to multisensory stimuli in unique and groundbreaking ways. Using cutting-edge technology, researchers can capture and analyse a unique range of physiological and emotional responses, delivering invaluable insights.

Why is it special?

The Instrumented Auditorium creates an unrivalled opportunity for collaboration. It places users and citizens at the heart of the digital innovation process, allowing for faster, more appropriate deployment of products, policies, services and business models. The aim? To drive more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable futures.

How does it work?

The Facility has the layout and technological capabilities to gain profound insights into the potential impacts of new technologies. It provides a wide range of non-invasive means to assess levels and quality of individual and group responses. It also allows the audience experience to be varied by introducing different narratives and technologies in real time.

• Seat and wall/ceiling-mounted remote sensing, eye tracking, blood pressure monitoring, ECG and galvanic skin response capabilities 
• Immersive AV display equipment including Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos-Compliant 8 or 16k projection
• Auditorium capacity of 36 people

The Auditorium also forms part of the MyWorld initiative’s suite of creative facilities. MyWorld brings together 30 partners from Bristol and Bath to create a unique cross-sector consortium, made up of all four of the region’s academic institutions, working alongside organisations from the local creative technologies sector. Partners include the Watershed, Bristol Old Vic, Aardman Animations, Digital Catapult, BBC and BT, as well as Netflix, TenCent and YouTube. The Instrumented Auditorium will help partners put the user and consumer experience at the forefront of digital technology design and content production. 

What difference might it make?

In this facility, citizens become co-creators of our shared digital future. The auditorium allows participants to make decisions in a virtual world, contributing knowledge and understanding of important global issues such as healthcare, transport and city planning. This will be an invaluable tool to aid the design of commercial products and services, public spaces and cities, teaching and care environments, while tackling policy and ethical implications at an early stage. 

Get involved

The Instrumented Auditorium will be up and running in 2023 with pilot projects that will help us learn and improve. Perhaps you’ve got an idea you’d like to test out with your team? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at bdfi-enquiries@bristol.ac.uk