Kairos (Panasonic), central to the “first” 3D performance broadcast in real time at 4K: ‘IOWN and Perfume”

“IOWN × Perfume”, a collaboration between NTT and the successful Japanese girl group Perfume, demonstrated the capability of Panasonic“s Kairos platform to handle the “world’s first real-time 4K 3D video transmission” using the IOWN optical and wireless network.

The production, which premiered last April, required the handling of 3D cameras and the simultaneous operation of multiple systems. Traditional video systems would have required complex configuration and numerous devices, making both operation and management difficult. However, with Kairos, operators benefited from a flexible system design and real-time processing capabilities.

By accepting multiple signals from 3D cameras via two 12G-SDI inputs, the Panasonic system enabled smooth mixing and conversion to various 3D formats. The system also handled low-latency, uncompressed SDI-IP conversion, which was key to compatibility with the IOWN optical network environment. From a more creative standpoint, Kairos enabled mixing, colour adjustment, format conversion and IP conversion to be managed from a single unit, streamlining operations and minimising the space occupied by hardware.

Hibino Corporation was the company responsible for implementing this system in the NTT pavilion at Expo Osaka-Kansai. Emu Hino, the company’s technical director, highlights the role of Kairos (Panasonic) in the project: “The production required precise synchronization across numerous components, but KAIROS allowed us to manage everything with a single unit. This greatly reduced our setup and system-management burdens to allow us to concentrate fully on creative endeavors.”