Stand aside, Imax: Bristol set to get cinema that measures audience reactions

The revolutionary 36-seat, 150m² Instrumented Auditorium, once introduced as a realm of biometric monitoring in theatres, has permanently closed. This pioneering facility, which recorded the audience's physiological responses such as heart rate, eye movements, and even brain activity in real-time, offered unique insights into audience engagement and emotional reactions.

Neuropsychology professor Iain Gilchrist at the University of Bristol had previously exclaimed that this cinema provided "unique insights" that could potentially reshape the landscape of content creation. The facility allowed data collection that pinpointed audience activity at key moments like an on-screen kiss, a joke, or even an advert.

Film studios and producers often relied on audience feedback from pre-screenings to edit, cut, or reshoot movies. The Instrumented Auditorium in Bristol had provided a way to gather raw information without needing to ask directly, and it was used for various content, from films to TV adverts and therapy videos.

Professor Gilchrist had highlighted the significance of this facility, stating: "If we want to understand whether a new experience or new technology is working, we have to ask the audience. The Instrumented Auditorium allowed us to stream data that captured audience responses moment by moment, providing unique insights that went beyond current questionnaire-based methods."

The Instrumented Auditorium was made possible through a £400,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation and was housed at the MyWorld creative hub within The Coal Shed in St Phillips, Bristol. MyWorld, a dynamic creative technology research and innovation hub led by the University of Bristol, collaborated with 12 other organizations, including Bristol Old Vic, Watershed, Aardman Animations, the BBC, and BT.

This facility had been set to redefine how we understand and engage with cinematic experiences, promising a future where audience reactions were quantified with unparalleled precision. It had positioned Bristol as a hub for cutting-edge cinema experiences, attracting audiences and filmmakers alike who sought to explore the depths of viewer engagement.

Despite its promise and the advanced biometric monitoring capabilities that surpassed traditional methods, the Instrumented Auditorium has now permanently closed. This closure marks the end of a pioneering chapter in Bristol's cinematic and technological landscape. The city, already known for its vibrant cultural scene, now reflects on the innovative strides made possible by the Instrumented Auditorium, even as it looks towards future advancements in film and entertainment technology.