Project Summary

Learning and playing are crucial aspects of growth. We want to teach how sound moves through vibrations and that different materials can cause different sounds. Learning can be a long and difficult process or a fun journey. We are designing this exhibit to be very interactive and accessible to increase the joy of learning. Our age demographic is for kids ages 6 - 9, but anyone can find value in this project.

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Gabe

Current Exhibit Analysis

• The goal for the exhibit was to let children explore how sound travels through different shapes and materials
• Often solo or parent-child play
• Purely tactile and audial engagement
• It's a fairly "simple" exhibit once you get past the first barrier, there isn't too much "creativity" to it as it is mostly a set of flat options
• It doesn't have as much payoff as it ought to, there are several logistical issues and it's difficult for children to see it on the tall table

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Learning Goal

We want our users to learn how sound can travel through vibrations

Design Elements

We wanted our exhibit to be accessible, interactive, and colorful.

Play Type

This exhibit was for multiple people who were cooperative and had fun working together

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Precedents

Vibrations: Sound Exhibit

Cup Phones

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Gabe's Initial Prototype

This prototype was showing how sound vibrated a balanced plate with buildings

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Iteration #1Testing Prep

This was testing how different materials affected the vibrations of the sound.

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Iteration #2 Testing Prep

This was testing how different connection materials affected the output of the sound.

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User testing at NuVu

• Most of the younger kids strummed the strings of the prototype instead of speaking from one cup to the other.
• For the first 10 minutes they had a hard time using the prototype however once hints were given they had fun with the exhibit.
• One of the kids said that they strummed the strings because the cups were to low.

Method of testing

Outcomes

For the first 10 minutes we waited for the testers to try to figure the project out. Once the 10 minutes past we tried to encourage and give hints on how to use the exhibit.

• There were only two kids and the rest where above 10.

Limitations

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Iteration #3

Our second prototype corrected the issue with timbral homogeneity, as well as creating a system through which a cup can connect to a second cup at a fixed distance, allowing it to remain taut without requiring any sort of calibration.

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User testing at Discovery Museum

• Children enjoyed the way that timbre varied among the materials.
• The exhibit was a bit too complicated (specifically the attachment/detachment method), so most children did not get to fully experience the exhibit unless we stepped in and showed how it worked.
• Children did not recognize some icons, specifically the rotary phone and radio, and tried to listen to the icons (walkie in particular) / pick up the microphone icon.
• Children would almost always pick up one end of the cup phone and put the other to their ear before exploring the rest of the exhibit.
• Both children and adults did not know that the string needs to be taut for the cup phone to work.

Method of testing

Outcomes

The exhibit was installed on-site where the Bucket Radio exhibit previously was. The main thing we looked for was how people engaged with the attachment.

• This was on top of another site which confused multiple users.

Limitations

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Gabe

Acrylic Protection

Non-taut String

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749.3 mm

1562.1 mm

1312.29 mm

1270 mm

330.2 mm

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1562.1 mm

660.4 mm

1312.29 mm

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749.3 mm

660.4 mm

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86 mm

63 mm

113 mm

21.2 mm

101.6 mm

27.3 mm

45.98 mm

118.9

58.1

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Materials List:

• Colored cups, plastic (8)
• Connector meshes:

1. Guitar string, metal
2. Fishing wire, nylon
3. String
4. Wire, Copper

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Next Steps



• Test covers and add destruction-proofing.
• Add panels with helpful pointers.
• Give tips (via plaque) as to what questions will help users understand the mechanics behind the exhibit.

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