Ericsson has been named as EE’s network partner for The Green Planet AR Experience, powered by EE 5G.
Using augmented reality, The Green Planet AR Experience – inspired by The Natural History Unit landmark series, The Green Planet – will take guests on an immersive journey into the secret kingdom of plants.
A 5G private network and Edge Computing infrastructure will be deployed to render beautiful AR graphics in real time to event goers in Central London. Visitors will travel through six digitally enhanced worlds – including rainforests, freshwater and saltwater worlds, the changing seasons and desert landscapes, culminating in the human story and how we can all affect positive change.
With the magic of augmented reality and 5G technology, visitors will discover the world of plants on their timescale and from their perspective via a Samsung Galaxy S21 5G smartphone.
The experience will open to the public at 55 Regent Street on 11th February 2022 and will showcase the low latency, high reliability and high bandwidth capabilities of 5G Standalone in the UK, putting the next generation of mobile technology into the hands of consumers and bringing to life a truly high-quality end-user mobile experience.
Katherine Ainley, CEO, Ericsson UK & Ireland, said:
“I am thrilled to combine Ericsson’s technology leadership with EE’s drive for innovation to deliver The Green Planet AR Experience. It shows how 5G, and especially 5G Standalone, can be used to create new immersive experiences for consumers that can help to transform our society and build a better understanding of our planet.
It is an excellent demonstration of how technology can be used as a platform for a more connected and sustainable future.”
The Green Planet AR Experience, powered by EE 5G will offer guests a window into the secret kingdom of plants through an immersive augmented reality journey accompanied by a virtual David Attenborough transformed into a 3D hologram.
Visitors to the free to attend experience will travel through six digitally enhanced worlds – including rainforests, freshwater and saltwater worlds, the changing seasons and desert landscapes, culminating in the human story and how we can all affect positive change.
Guests will enter the experience from Regent Street through a living rainforest complete with hundreds of tropical trees, plants and shrubs. Before entering the first of the digitally enhanced biomes, guests will be given a smartphone device which will become their dynamic window into the world of plants.
With the magic of augmented reality and 5G technology, visitors will discover the world of plants on their timescale and from their perspective.
As Sir David explains:
“You’ll see that plants can be as aggressive, competitive and dramatic as any living thing on the planet – and how they form intriguing relationships with animals. And you’ll discover why plants are so vital for the future of our planet. Your device is a window into a secret world.”
David Attenborough in holographic form will accompany visitors with useful prompts showing guests where to point their devices to see all of the augmented reality plant and animal life in all its glory, as well as offering insights on the plant life on display.
Rainforest Biome
The first of the biomes offers visitors the chance to join a virtual David Attenborough under the canopy of the Amazon Rainforest to witness the wonders of this intricately balanced ecosystem and watch as the giant balsa tree grows from a digital seed to join the canopy as a towering virtual tree.
The augmented reality allows guests to see years of rapid balsa tree growth in a matter of seconds, as well as over 350 plants and animals that call the rainforest their home.
Freshwater Biome
The augmented reality magic continues in the second biome, where guests will venture into the depths of the Amazon Basin where they will learn the secrets of the Giant Amazon Water Lily, following the perilous journey of the scarab beetle as it’s captured by the flower for pollination.
Saltwater Biome
In the third biome, visitors can wander through the underwater meadows of Neptune Seagrass, learning about this wonder plant that captures incredible amounts of carbon and plays a valuable role in cleaning up our oceans. By moving through the augmented reality Neptune Seagrass, visitors will become the current, watching as shoals of Damsel fish feed between the fronds and turtles, barracuda and amberjacks swim past.
Desert Biome
Guests will explore the Saguaro Cactus of the Sonoran Desert of Mexico in the fourth biome, hearing from Sir David about this pillar of the community and how many animals depend on it for food and shelter. Visitors will be awestruck at the scale of this cactus as they watch the Gila Woodpecker make its nest.
Seasonal Biome
In the Seasonal Biome, visitors will enter the South African Cape to be taken on a tour of the Fynbos, one of the richest and most diverse ranges of flowering plant species on the planet, before being engulfed in a huge digital fire The environmental conditions created by the fire prompt the mysterious Fire Lily to bloom before visitors eyes, filling the biome with opportunistic pollinators including the Table Mountain Butterfly.
Human Biome
Concluding this virtual journey through some of the world’s most fascinating plant life, visitors will visit the Human Biome where they will learn about how domesticated plants are impacting thousands of wild species.
Through this technology, the experience engages audiences with plant life in an immersive and intimate way, allowing visitors to witness the extraordinary nature of plants and in doing so, learning why they are so vital for the future of our planet.
Scientists and horticultural experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have been involved in the creation to ensure every tree, leaf and flower guests experience is a scientifically accurate representation.
Greg McCall, MD of Networks, BT Group, said:
“This pioneering project demonstrates the amazing new experiences the latest innovation in network technology can create. Using the capability of Edge Computing and a Standalone 5G network developed in partnership with Ericsson, we’re able to inspire greater responsibility towards our planet at a time it’s never been more important.
The Green Planet AR Experience powered by EE 5G is an important stage of our Standalone and Edge Compute journeys, as EE continues to deliver industry-leading innovation to power the best experiences.”
The project is another significant milestone in the partnership between the two companies who are already working together to deliver 5G connectivity to millions of EE customers across the UK.
As network partners, Ericsson and EE are committed to exploring exciting opportunities for future collaboration around new and innovative 5G services, such as cloud gaming, AR/VR entertainment, immersive communications and private network solutions to meet the growing demands of consumers and enterprise customers.
Free tickets for The Green Planet AR Experience can be booked here.
