LARGE-SCALE EXPERIMENT: COMBUSTION
One large-scale experiment in the Science Storms gallery is the Combustion exhibit, a dynamic display which pitts fire against water. Visitors can change several variables: the quantity of fuel feeding the flame, the volume of water raining down from above, and size of the water droplets released from the spout. As the flame grows and shrinks, laser beams reveal the water droplets interacting with it.
CONTROL THE EXPERIMENT WITH A TOUCH SCREEN
In the photo above, two friends quickly turn their attention back to the battle of fire and water after changing a variable on the touch screen. Science Storms introduced sophisticated technology enabling visitors to control, rather than simply observe, science phenomena in a museum setting. However, we ensured that the technology used to control the phenomena did not upstage or distract from the large-scale experiments.
GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER | CLEVELAND, OH
A tablet-based app in the The NASA Glenn Visitor Center enhances the gallery visit by weaving artifacts together into a single mission related to space exploration. Visitors interact with historic artifacts using augmented reality, virtual reality, and interactive media to complete their mission. I assembled and managed a team of in-house staff and external software developers on behalf of the Great Lakes Science Center.
VIRTUAL REALITY
Visitors use virtual reality to examine parts of this Apollo capsule as they complete a mission-critical task. Virtual reality reveals aspects of the capsule which are typically inaccessible to the public.
AUGMENTED REALITY
Visitors use augmented reality to "find" a rover tucked inside the gigantic Mars Airbag Landing System overhead. Airbags cushioned the fall of the Pathfinder rover when it landed on Mars.
CHICAGO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | CHICAGO, IL
I led this $1.7-million project which included the Skyline exhibition, a renovation of the Under Construction exhibit to incorporate principles of family learning. The original exhibit, which I developed ten years earlier, was wildly popular and has been replicated by children's museums across the country. and won the AAM Special Award for Cooperative Learning.
Build a skyscraper - and a multimedia book!
Multimedia stations capture visitors’ building activity, prompt dialogue and reflection, and guide families to produce a digital book with audio narration for download at home. In order to support collaborative learning, the Skyline exhibition uses design strategies borrowed from Reggio educators. For example, a camera built into this exhibit station snaps photos while the family builds, similar to the way Reggio teachers take pictures of children as they work.
Hands-on construction
A few subtle changes to the design of the construction materials tripled the amount of time girls invested to match that of the boys. These changes ultimately enhanced the gallery for everyone:
- Doubled the size of the holes and the bolts - this reduced the number of threads and sped up assembly
- Introduced a wood triangle to support corners - this made it easier to build a standing structure
- Added fabric panels for walls and roofs - this made the materials more welcoming
Programmable flexible circuit for LEGO
Flexible circuit: A clear substrate (such as overhead transparency) is lasercut with holes to fit over LEGO. Then the substrate is placed onto a LEGO plate. The gray lines of tape run between the studds.
Paper-thin power grid for LEGO
Paper-thin power grid: Ribbons of conductive tape run between the rows of studs on a standard LEGO baseplate. Paper-thin LEDs are pressed onto the power grid. The contacts wrap around to the back.