Immersive hologram tech on display in Sunderland for the jubilee weekend

The ‘#SmartTalking Sunderland’ campaign will feature holograms of famous faces, including Niall Quinn, Melanie Hill and other well-known names, each sharing their experiences and memories of what they love about Sunderland.

The #SmartTalking heads will be located in four locations across the city, from Friday 3rd to Saturday 4th June; Keel Square, Outside the Fire Station, At The Bridges Shopping Centre and at the Stadium of Light.

Patrick Melia, chief executive at Sunderland City Council, said, “we are excited to be able to use digital technology to our advantage, in our digitally connected smart city. We wanted to inspire and excite local people and visitors to Sunderland, by providing a totally different experience. And what better time to commend our city than over the celebratory jubilee weekend?

“Working in partnership with leading local experts, Animmersion, further cements our forward-thinking digital capabilities as a region.”

Animmersion is a team of digital experts based in Middlesbrough, who design and supply a range of digital tools – from dashboards and user interfaces, to apps, animations and holograms.

Recognised as the leading UK hologram provider, Animmersion deliver hardware and content for turnkey solutions designed to suit many applications, including their upcoming installation of Sunderland’s #SmartTalking hologram heads.

Samuel Harrison, CEO of Animmersion UK, said, “working alongside the smart city programme team at Sunderland City Council, we are delighted to bring a truly unique experience to the people of Sunderland.

“Our team create eye-catching, impactful content to capture imaginations and really showcase the power of technology. To do this in such an inspiring, digitally-connected setting here in Sunderland, and with such a fantastic group of people who talked so passionately about the city; this really was a great opportunity that we were thrilled to be part of.”

Patrick explained, “we want as many people in and around Sunderland to join in as possible, by sharing their own memories, favourite places and positive experiences of our city. Let’s showcase our collective pride – our fond memories and favourite spaces – and combine these Sunderland stories with our smart ambitions for our city’s future.”