Greetings from the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)!

     Quite a number of museum (and institutional) quality VCRs can be set
     for "auto play" (get to the end of the tape-rewind-play), and I KNOW
     there are cassette and CD players that will run forever (ah, repeat).
     The same can be said of video disk players.

     I think you'd want something that only toggles "on" e.g. visitor
     presence ACTIVATES whatever it is, plays to the end, then resets. If
     the visitor's absence turns the device immediately off, I can imagine
     people jumping, trying to determine the limits of the "sphere of
     influence."

     While I am not aware of a specific ASTC-member institution that has
     developed this approach, it is an intriguing idea, and should not be
     too difficult to implement.

     For a geographic listing of ASTC institutions, please visit ASTC's
     website, www.astc.org. A list of Products and Services offered by ASTC
     members may be requested by sending e-mail to [log in to unmask] or by
     calling (202) 783-7200x130.


     -Steve Eichner
     Research Analyst
     Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated
     [log in to unmask]





______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Seeking Audio/Visual Advice
Author:  Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]> at Internet
Date:    7/29/97 4:02 PM


For the techno-pups out there.  I'm looking for passive visitor
activated audio and visual devices. CD players that toggle off and on
with a motion sensor, or VCR's that do the same, maybe even rewind
before shutting down befor vistor re-activation. Anyone know of anything
like this????

TIA

Terry Vidal                     http://www.uni.edu/vidal
University Museum               http://www.uni.edu/museum
University of Northern Iowa     http://www.uni.edu