I'm looking for feedback on various modes of interactivity used to
interpret museum exhibitions. One, for instance, involves the human body
in space as an interactive entity; for example: you go to look at a
painting on a wall; as you approach it movement sensors pick you up,
activating lights to come up, followed after a slight delay by a foussed
speaker soundscape and then finally a monologue offering
interpretation/more information.
 
I'd like to hear from designers/curators who have used this sort of
approach. To my mind, although I'm a firm advocate of screen based
interactivity, the metaphor extends to all kinds of interaction, be it by
sound, vision, light etc. etc. I'm not in favour of the blanket sound
scape for individual exhibits: discreet lighting and unidirectional
speakers make far more sense when interpreting a single object.
 
How well does it work? What does it cost? Can it be computer-driven? Can
its electronics be organised in-house by non-experts? Could it be made to
work for large groups as well as individuals? Are there other web
sites/news groups that deal with this? Your feedback sought.
 
Regards,
Andrew
 
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Andrew Rankine
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Design Unit, Exhibitions section
National Library of Australia
Telephone 61 6 262 1591
Facsimile 61 6 273 4493
Modem 61 6 262 1364