Kate and I are planning to hold a preliminary sensory session with a group from Mencap at MERL in September. Hopefully this will be a good time to test out the audio prototype and some ideas planned for the Autumn sessions.
Entrance to MERL
We visited the museum and the archive at MERL
Invisible Horse
Duck Basket
Threshing Machine Working Model
We considered existing objects that could contain sensor and listened for sounds used in the existing collection.
Listening to Crafts
Display with sound
We found that videos are used in the museum although most of the films have no actual sounds of the activity instead a narrator describes the activity. The videos of crafts pictured below do feature sounds of the process.
Harness Making
Here is a compilation of the range of sensors and outputs we can use, or could make ourselves (to be compatible with LittleBits) to get an idea of how much choice we really have! (the ones marked in bold are already available to purchase in LittleBits)
Sensors: light, sound, bend, roll switch, toggle, motion, pressure, slide dimmer, pulse, time sensor, stretch, tilt, accelerometer, blow, proximity
Output: fan, light, sound, buzzer, motor, vibration, rgb LED, bargraph, smell (based on olly factory/aroma company), video
Also, LittleBits supply AND and OR logic gates which add complexity to the circuits.
Just as a log: In our meeting last week, we also talked about practical ways to introduce and demonstrate the co-researchers to the concept of the different sensors overcoming the problem that the sensors don’t look like what they do (e.g proximity sesnsor looks like a phone). Here is a list of some of the ways we discussed:
light sensor in a box, bend sensor in a foam noodle, pressure sensor in a stress ball or shoe, blow sensor in a windmill, motion sensor in a wand, accelerometer in a bottle with oil and water.
Please feel free to edit this post with other ideas or if I have missed anything out!