Belfast Councillor Tina Black, Flax & Teal, and Jenna Crymble from Maritime Belfast Trust

Local company Flax & Teal is working with the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) and local communities to develop interactive 3D/virtual reality rooms along Belfast’s Maritime Mile.

The virtual reality experience gives visitors a unique perspective on the Belfast waterfront area’s evolution by showcasing the stories of generations past through images, video, audio, and historic maps. 

Project Manatee is one of six prototypes funded by the £120,000 Belfast HUB-IN Challenge Fund which is being delivered by Belfast City Council’s City Innovation Office in partnership with the Maritime Belfast Trust to harness digital innovation to help animate and enrich the city’s Maritime Mile.

Through co-creation sessions, Flax & Teal has engaged with staff at PRONI to help develop the 3D virtual reality rooms.

Following a testing phase, QR codes will be placed along the Maritime Mile enabling visitors to scan them and access the virtual reality rooms.

Project partners and support

This project has been supported by a range of organisations, community groups and businesses along the Maritime Mile.

  • Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
  • Belfast City Council’s City Innovation Office
  • Maritime Belfast Trust

More information

Find out more about the Belfast HUB-IN Challenge Fund at www.smartbelfast.city/story/belfast-hub-in-funding.

Find out more about Belfast’s Maritime Mile at www.maritime-mile.com.

The Belfast HUB-IN project is part of a €7.9 million European initiative that aims to transform historic urban areas through innovation and spread public benefits from urban regeneration. It’s funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 869429.

Bearded man wearing virtual reality headset

Bringing immersive tech to the mainstream

Belfast has become a magnet for talent in music, theatre, film and television. In a statement of our ambition the city has established a national Immersive Lab that seeks to bring Virtual and Augmented Reality Tech into the home, the office and on to the factory floor.

People cycling using Belfast's public bike hire scheme, Belfast Bikes.

Using machine vision to manage active travel routes in Belfast

This pilot is looking at how machine vision and machine learning can help to identify obstacles along Belfast routes that can reduce the capacity for more active travel.

Pathway in Belfast park

Amazing Spaces, Smart Places pilot projects in Belfast parks – Phase 2

Using data and innovative technologies to ensure our parks are safe, accessible and enjoyed by all.