StrayLight Corp. launched a new 3D Virtual Theater at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) conference today. This rear projected theater, inside the booth of pharmaceutical giant, Sanofi-Aventis, was unusual in several ways. The StrayLight theater uses a proprietary screen and projection setup to allow audiences to watch a vivid show in normal booth lighting, offering an open air theater environment. While many 3D displays require the viewer to position their head precisely to fully enjoy the 3D effect, the StrayLight theater allows the audience to be much more flexibly positioned in the theater.

During the 3 day ADA conference, over 3,000 doctors and medical professionals watched Sanofi’s 3D presentation in the theater, nearly 1/3 of all the show attendees. One advantage of an open air projected 3D theater is that the attendance at each show is virtually unlimited. Since the theater faced a busy show aisle, guests could see the attraction from a distance and would gravitate to the theater. The immersive surround sound system helped to put guests “inside” the show, but without disturbing neighboring booths.

Rear projection made guest seating and booth traffic management extremely simple, since there was no external projection systems to be blocked by the audience. Guests were greeted by hostesses offering special 3D glasses. The three minute show, developed by long time StrayLight partner, iMed Studios, explained the complexities of the endocanabinoid system, a newly discovered body mechanism in relation to diabetes. After the show, guests were invited to Sanofi kiosks throughout the booth for a challenging Q&A quiz. In less than a minute a new audience was gathered and the next show would begin.