New Technology To Turn Tube Tunnels Into Advertising Space

The darkness passengers on the London Underground currently see from the window could soon be replaced by seven-second long ‘silent movie’ adverts. The developers of the technology, the MotionPoster Company, says it could be used in around 300 locations on the London Underground and that talks are underway with TDI, which manages Tube advertising.

The adverts are created using 175 posters fixed along the wall of the tunnel. When a train passes, a microprocessor detects how fast it is going and sets off a strobe light. This illuminates the image from behind, like a photographer’s light box, for around two millionths of a second as the train window passes by. Passengers inside see a moving image floating on the tunnel wall.

A trial which proved the possibility of the system took place on the Piccadilly line in 1984, but at the time the lighting had to be fixed to the train and was found to be cumbersome and expensive. The increased development and decreased cost of microprocessors has now allowed a commercially viable version to be made. In addition, MotionPosters says it would provide and install the equipment at no charge to tunnel owners.

Chairman of MotionPoster, Michael Pelham, says that the first working system is likely to appear before the end of this year. He adds that it will be “A race between London, Hong Kong and Germany” for where it will be, as parties in all three places are interested.

MotionPoster: 01367 241000