Arduino and Interactivity in Museums

Arduino has revolutionized exhibition design in the world of Museums.

Last April, Arduino was used by The American Museum of Natural History to create an interactive exhibit called, "Brain: The Inside Story." The exhibit showcased "a new perspective and keen insight into the visitors own brains through imaginative art, vivid brain-scan imaging, and dynamic interactive exhibits for all ages." Basically, the visitors had the chance to view multiple interactive activities and were able to tests their ability to draw a shape while looking only at a reflection.

As stated on arduino.cc, "Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments." (from http://arduino.cc/en/)

This nondescript gadget has become the driving force behind most of the interactive exhibits seen in museums and galleries today.

[Nick Bilton] published an article about Arduino and how it influenced Interaction Design, with a close look about Exhibition Design.

“The Arduino has changed the way we can create and build exhibits,” said Hélène Alonso, director of interactive exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. “In the past, we would have used 50 percent of our budget on computers that have now been replaced with the simplicity of the Arduino.”

A current exhibit at the museum called “Brain: The Inside Story,” uses an Arduino to calculate a person’s accuracy and brain power while tracing the shape of a star. Another exhibit at the museum lets people see the relationship of the weights of some dinosaurs in relation to those of humans.

For artists and designers, one of the biggest draws of the Arduino is the cost. A single Arduino, which can be used to control a number of aspects of a museum installation, costs just $30. Once an artist has a chip, inexpensive sensors can be added to make the device sentient.

Sources:
http://arduino.cc/en/

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/brain/index.php

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/arts/design/arduinos-provide-interactive-exhibits-for-about-30.html

"Digital Museums"

The new rise of digital world is having an effect on almost everything. Museums are a part of things going digital. There are both positive and negative effects of museums going digital. Some the most important effects of museums going digital is the access it gives a diverse number of people. In addition to that, museums have the ability to save cultures from the past. Museums also have the ability to bring those traditional cultures to people of modern times. Using digital technology, may appeal to a younger audience. The use of social media, will allow them to engage and share in different exhibits. It will also allow them to share their experiences with one another. This could create more learning.

Digital technology, also will give access to people, who would otherwise not be able to experience it. The digital world eliminates a lot of boundaries.
The largest positive effect is the educational benefit. People can be easier educated. There are negative effects, of digital museums. The greatest negative effect, is the lost of some cultures. For instance, some cultures only have spoken word traditions. If museums go digital those spoken traditions could be easily lost. Overall, there is are very few negative effects the good seems to far out weigh the bad. Digital technology, can allow exhibits to come to live for viewers. The use of new media can allow exhibits to be at peoples finger tips.

Sources
"Visible Language"; After the Death of Film: Writing the Natural World in the Digital Age; Tess Takahashi; 2008
John Driscoll, New York Hall of Science, 1993