Touch Screen Computer and Water Sculpture
The judges said:
This entry was an engaging exhibit covering a topic of water conservation. The goal was to educate museum visitors on how to conserve water in their homes.
Visitors use a computer-based interactive station to make choices about how to use water in their everyday activities at home. After choices are made,
valves open to fill each room in a transparent model house with water, representing the amount used in that room. After all choices are made, the remaining
water is fed though a kinetic sculpture. The sculpture delivers a payoff if enough water is saved. We were impressed with some of the small details, such
as controls shaped like faucets and water flowing through a transparent handrail.
The producers said:
Produced for display in Melbourne Museum, Victoria, Australia (the driest inhabited continent on earth), the goal of the Water Smart Home interactive
project was to create an innovative visitor experience that highlights the significant values of water in our homes and lifestyles.
Water Smart Home aims to engage, inspire and educate the public in ways that they can reduce, reuse and revalue water in their daily lives. The interactive
aims to bring visitors together in a collaborative way to meet the challenge of the game: encouraging clustered conversations about how to make the best
decisions to save water, and how to make good use of case study information available on adjacent screens.
A tip for Producers who need to find a way to present 'dry' and serious information, such as water conservation, in an engaging and meaningful way: trick
the visitor. The cartoon-style interface; interactive taps; the glass house with Lego-like grass and the fun dynamic sculpture 'reward' makes the
Water Smart Home very engaging, attractive and exciting to visitors, especially young ones, cleverly disguising the fact they are actually learning
about a most precious resource for their future!
The exhibit is also supported by a website at: http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/watersmarthome/
Touch Screen with Audio Interactives
The judges said:
This computer program gives an overview of many whale species and allows aquarium visitors to understand more about the lives of whales. Visitors are
given the opportunity to mimic the sounds made by whales, giving them a feeling of how sounds are recorded and presented on the computer screen. The
graphics of this program were especially impressive. The images and drawings were presented in simple and pleasing manner.
The producers said:
Whales: Voices in the Sea is an interactive exhibit that allows guests to explore how whales use complex sounds to communicate in and navigate around
their world. Scientists are just beginning to understand the importance of sound in the lives of whales and the opportunities these vocalizations present
in the study and conservation of these animals.
At the Aquarium of the Pacific, guests access the exhibit at several 50-inch touch-screen kiosks to hear the voices of and learn more about six whales:
humpback, beaked, Eastern Pacific gray, Northern right, sperm, and the blue whale. Guests may record their own call imitating each whale's sound.
Interviews with top scientists shed light on the significance of each species' call and on conservation issues and efforts for each of the whales. Above
the kiosks, a repeater screen enables visitors passing by to view the interactivity and assists teachers leading classes. The exhibit also may be
viewed on the web. The exhibit and the web are in English and Spanish.
Whales: Voices in the Sea resulted from collaboration between the Aquarium of the Pacific, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Cortina Productions and
was sponsored by the Pacific Life Foundation.
Kiosk
The judges said:
This entry was a computer station placed in an exhibit of mounted dinosaur fossils. It gave more information about the type of dinosaurs visible in the
exhibit and why the specimens had been mounted the way they were presented. We were especially pleased with the combination of a computer interactive
station and museum artifacts. The layout of dinosaurs on the computer screen roughly matches that of the display in front of visitors, allowing visitors
to explore and learn at their own pace.
The producers said:
In Dinosphere, visitors are immersed in the sights and sounds of the Cretaceous Period, with real dinosaur specimens and a powerful sound and light show.
Computer kiosks are placed at each of the three scenes, so visitors can quickly access a variety of information. In the Fossil Facts program, visitors read
a short summary of the storyline or find out how paleontologists interpret the scene. Dinosaurs are introduced with quick facts, such as height, weight
and speed, while their skeletons are examined for "clues" to behavior.
The Dig Deeper kiosks are for visitors who want more detailed information, such as where each dinosaur was found, how it was prepared and the pathologies
discovered as the skeletons were readied for display. The content is complimented by rich media content, including video animation from BBC and the
Discovery Channel.
Navigation and content were designed to appeal to young readers and their families. The 24-inch touch screens allow parents and children to gather around
as they examine photos of bone pathologies or listen to paleontologists.
Multimedia Installation
The judges said:
This computer-based program allows museum visitors to explore the technology and inner working of fuel cells. Sections about the history of fuel cells and
their applications were integrated into the rest of the program. The graphics were clean and easy to understand, an especially difficult challenge for this
complicated subject.
The producers said:
The Promise of Fuel Cells is a multimedia module featured in "Clean Power", a new exhibit installation developed by the California Science Center for the
Transportation Gallery, a part of the Creative World permanent exhibit. This engaging multimedia program explores the fascinating science and investigates
the development of fuel cell technology. Using 3D animation, video interviews, connection to the latest news stories on fuel cells, Web-based polls and
"near real time" maps of air quality of the Los Angeles Basin, this program presents in-depth content in both English and Spanish on the promise of
hydrogen as a clean source of energy for transportation. Visitors can navigate through this program to gain a better understanding of the science behind
fuel cells, view a demonstration of how they work, listen to the views of various experts on the environmental benefits of this technology and the challenges
ahead, access the latest news on fuel cells, and participate in an opinion poll. This exhibit provides a unique opportunity to present and interpret to the
general public a technological innovation which is currently at the prototype stage and enable them to follow its continued development.
Producer's tips:
- put together a strong team and encourage creative input from all
- involve expert advisors — particularly critical when content deals with evolving technology
- be flexible to take advantage of opportunities as they crop up along the way
- have the needs of the user/visitor always in mind and make sure that they're met
- incorporate evaluation throughout the project's development
- ensure that the educational objectives of the project inform all decisions throughout the process.
The judges said:
This web site provides background on why music sounds the way it does and how we listen to different types of music. A diverse set of topics are covered,
including how to make music and how it can be interpreted. The site includes sections allowing viewers to manipulate sound. Also included are several
interesting and well-produced videos.
The producers said:
The Science of Music site seeks to stretch conventional ideas about music—such as who gets to make it, and how and where it can be made—while giving
visitors plenty of unusual opportunities to make music of their own. The often-quirky interactives, films, and questions explore the outer reaches of
musical sound as well as fundamental musical attributes such as resonance, polyrhythms, timbre, and acoustics. A recurring theme in the site is that
music can be found (and made) anywhere, anyhow.
Two factors contributed greatly to the success of the Science of Music. First, it was extremely valuable to have people from very different backgrounds
on the development team, including both musicians and non-musicians. Diversity of constituents made for a diversity of ideas. Also, creativity thrived
thanks to an extended development process. Allowing plenty of time for experimentation and brainstorming made it possible to explore possibilities that
were "riskier" but ultimately more rewarding.
DVD
The judges said:
This exhibit contained an innovative use of technology borrowed from Hollywood. Museum visitors are invited to participate in the making of a short film.
Playing parts in a spy thriller, visitors become actors and leave with a DVD copy of their work. This application of technology offers a fun experience
for visitors and allows them to learn about how their favorite movies are made.
The producers said:
Action! An Adventure in Moviemaking is an exciting new traveling exhibit developed by the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago. Visitors to the
exhibit not only learn about the job skills used by today's top filmmakers and see some very recognizable movie artifacts, they also get to try their
hand at making a real short movie on an authentic soundstage. As one of the preeminent centers for informal learning, the Museum always wants to give
visitors the chance to get involved in hands-on ways. With the help of a Museum staff "director," guests may volunteer to participate either in front
of or behind the camera. Participant roles are varied: Actor, Extra, Wardrobe, Asst. Camera, Sound, Lighting, Props, and more! Every set teaches
multiple filmmaking basics from green screen compositing to foreground miniatures and forced perspective. When principle photography is complete,
visitors get to watch their finished movie on the big screen professionally edited, and complete with musical score, special effects and voice-over
narration. DVD's of each guest movie are available for sale or when visitors return home, they may download their movie from the internet for free or
forward it to their friends. Although the technology is complex, the interface was kept simple for quick training of staff, and ease of operation.
The judges said:
This web site contains a large amount of helpful information about research in a wide range of scientific disciplines. The title refers to different
"ologies" such as geology and biology. The site demystifies much of current science and how science works. This site has justifiably won many
awards in the past.
The producers said:
OLogy is the American Museum of Natural History's science-rich Web site for kids at home, at school, and whenever and wherever kids are curious.
OLogy targets 7-11 year olds, tapping into their innate curiosity about the natural world and culture. At OLogy, kids can play games, meet Museum
scientists, ask questions, and read feature stories as they dig into topics that interest them. OLogy contains sections various topics such as
paleontology, astronomy, genetics, biodiversity, physical science, marine biology, archaeology, and Earth science. Each of these sections is a
distinct "OLogy", in which major concepts are introduced through stories, games, and interactives, as well as hands-on activities to do away
from the computer. OLogy is always growing as new content is added to the site. Also available is the Educators section of Ology. This will
take you to a resource list on our Resources for Learning Web site, including an index of all the OLogy resources. Also accessible in the
educator's site is the new OLogy After-School Educator's Guide, which features a user's guide, suggested methods for integrating OLogy into
an after-school program, site maps, and content guides for the Paleontology, and Astronomy sections of the site.
Bronze: Science of Music
Honorable Mention: Ology