Computer Modelling at The Royal Observatory

Ever tried plotting the orbit of planets using dice? That was the unusual challenge facing HMC Interactive when creating the new Computer Modelling exhibit at The Royal Observatory.

The idea is a deceptively simple one. You take a selection of dice with different symbols on them, arrange them under a video camera, then watch as the dice turn into planets and begin to orbit one another. The size of the die dictates the mass of the planet, while the number of arrows in each symbol controls the speed.

To correctly interpret the dice, HMC Interactive used specialist ‘machine vision’ cameras to read the faces of the dice. HMC programmed the cameras to recognise the different symbols and feed this information into the exhibit.

Gravity makes the world go around

The challenge didn’t stop there! Working with top astronomers, HMC Interactive then had to program a real time gravitational simulation using millions of calculations per second. It really was rocket science.

We always get asked to break the laws of physics; the challenge was keeping it fun without breaking them. Adam Montandon — HMC Interactive

The finished interactive makes a complex process simple and understandable. The exhibit lets you to create your own gravity simulation in seconds using a unique tangible interface that doesn’t require a PhD to use.

Design & production: Newangle Software programming: HMC Interactive