More Stuff To Play Around With

So, I'm getting off my soapbox about proposal etiquette and the Maryland Science Center and offering instead two more exhibit-minded suggestions for stuff to play around with:

1) The Strobotop is a cool top-based toy and a variable speed strobe gun developed by artist Rufus Butler Seder.  Basically you add an illustrated disk to the Strobotop, give it a spin, and then point the strobe at the spinning pictures.  You'll see different animation effects depending on the relationship of the speeds of the spinning Strobotop and the flashing strobe gun. (As you can see in the YouTube video below.)



I originally bought the basic Strobotop for my seven-year-old daughter, but everyone in the family has really enjoyed experimenting with the different animation disks that come with the set.  As an exhibits guy,  I also appreciated the little design features built into the Strobotop: the cut-out notches along the edges of the top that make it easier to insert and remove the animation disks, as well as the simple gravity switch that only allows the strobe gun to work when it is pointed downward (and not up in your Dad's face!)

All in all, good stuff!  So head over to Amazon to get your own Strobotop to start playing around with.

(It looks like Rufus Butler Seder is also scheduled to be one of the guest speakers/instigators during the AAM and NAME Creativity and Collaboration 2011 Retreat happening in October.)


2) The Arduino Cookbook 
"Arduino" is the generic name for the open source microcontroller boards (plus the free software development environment) that lets anyone (really!) start experimenting with physical computing.
I've just started to scratch the surface of all the possibilities of using Arduino in my own exhibits/design work, and I'm really finding it challenging and enjoyable in a good way.  


Basically Arduino lets you easily get computers to interact with the real world. You can use Arduino to make cool interactive objects that can sense inputs from switches, sensors, and computers, and then control motors, lights, and other physical outputs.

Arduino has been a boon to artists, makers, and exhibits people in providing a way to (relatively) quickly and cheaply translate their creative ideas into the powerful world of physical computing.  


While there is a great deal of information and sharing about Arduino tools and techniques available online, for myself I also like to have a handy reference book or two nearby.  And that's where the excellent Arduino Cookbook comes in.  Written in a style that makes it accessible to both the Arduino expert and newbie alike, the Cookbook provides a great reference and road map for creating Arduino projects.

I hope you have a chance to explore both the Strobotop, and the Arduino Cookbook.  Have your own suggestions for cool stuff that you'd like to share?  Let us know about them in the "Comments" Section below!


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Two Toys for Design Joys

I'm always on the lookout for new toys.  (Of course it also helps that I'm the father of four children --- although my wife claims at times to have five children...) 

Toys can provide great examples of industrial and interactive design, as well as being jumping off points for exhibit prototyping projects or even for jazzing up team meetings.

So here are two cool toys I've been playing with recently for you to try out:

The Pumponator Balloon Pumping Station

This is a fun self-contained pump that lets you fill balloons with either air or water (depending on what you put in the bottom container.)  Simple and durable, I could see this being useful for science demonstrations or remote events.  


The second toy is called Big Bang Rocket and as the name implies, you can make some noise with it!

This clever toy let you load squares of newspaper (or other paper-like materials like leaves) into the "blast chamber."  Then you throw the Rocket into the air and it comes down on its squishy rubber top to force air blasting through the paper with a loud BANG!

I like the Big Bang Rocket because it's dead simple, but also because it works on a variety of ground surfaces whether they are soft (like grass) or hard (like a concrete driveway.)  Also you have some nice possibilities for experimentation by trying to get the optimum BANG!

So try out the toys above or take some time to troll through the aisles of your local toy store for some design inspiration  --- the worst thing that happens is you end up with a new toy to play with!
 

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Exhibit Design Inspiration: Toys From Trash

"Toys from Trash" is part of a larger site based in India that details how to construct HUNDREDS of fun little devices out of simple household materials.

Many of the toys have a scientific bent, and range from from a clever "Gyro Disk" made from a spare CD, to a simple DC motor.

Toys from Trash makes a great resource for museum folks, and a perfect idea generator for anyone who wants to have fun making simple science toys.

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Playing Around With Science: An Interview with Peter Rea

Peter Rea is the founder and president of Arbor Scientific, a company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan that imports, develops, and sells science education products and toys to teachers as well as the general public.

I first met Peter nearly twenty years ago at an MDSTA (Metro Detroit Science Teacher’s Association) meeting where he was demonstrating the Genecon hand-held generator from Japan. Since then, I’ve used many of Arbor Scientific’s products in museum programs and exhibits, so I thought readers of the ExhibiTricks blog might benefit from Peter’s take on science and science education.

Another great resource from Arbor Scientific of particular interest to museum folks is their CoolStuff Newsletter. You can view the CoolStuff Newsletter via the ArborSci website or subscribe via email. The Newsletter offers demo ideas, lesson plans, and free downloads of other fun science stuff. One of my favorite entries featured Anamorphic Art and other Optical Phenomena.

So after you enjoy my interview with Peter, check out the Arbor Scientific website and the CoolStuff Newsletter!


What’s your academic background?
I have a BA in Economics from Albion College and an MBA from the University of Michigan.


How did you start Arbor Scientific?
I started Arbor Scientific with a friend who had worked as a sales representative for one of the large science supply houses. He had discovered some very innovative products coming out of Japan that weren’t available in the US. These products, which included the Genecon and Magnetic Field Observation Box were an immediate success and started our reputation for having the “cool” science toys.


Were you a “science geek” as a kid?
I wouldn’t say that I was or am a “science geek”. I’m very inquisitive and have a real interest in how and why things work. My dad had a PhD in Engineering, but it was my older brother who became the physics teacher. My passion is for customer service --- which to me means finding the best new products and offering them at the best value to our customers. I’m fortunate to have met and established relationships with some of the best science teachers in the country. They’re a constant source of inspiration for new products and wanting to give teachers the tools that will help them do a better job.


What new products are you most excited about?
Two years ago we were the first company in the US to import and sell a model hydrogen fuel cell car kit that produced its own hydrogen. We’ve sold close to a thousand of them since, and are very excited about a new bioenergy product from the same company. In addition we will be carrying a laser viewing tank that was developed by science teacher in California that is very cool.


Do you handle particular products that you think would be useful for museums?
Many of our products are used in science museums, primarily in hands on demonstrations and outreach programs. The Genecon and Visual Electricity Demonstrator have been very popular, as well as the Hand Crank Van De Graaff Generator.

What trends in science products do you see coming down the road?
I don’t think we will see very much change in the products themselves. The change will come in how teachers learn how to use the products. Although we have for years provided curriculum ideas along with our products, the web allows us to use video to show them how to best use our products. We are in the process of producing video clips that will teach the teachers how to use these products.


What can a parent do to encourage a child’s interest in science?
Visit science museums, buy science related toys, and most importantly encourage their involvement in science classes, especially as they get older.

What’s you favorite museum?
The Exploratorium in San Francisco is my favorite, and we have a great hands-on museum here in Ann Arbor.

What’s your favorite science-related experience?
I chaperoned a group of high school physics students to an amusement park for “Physics Day” It was great to see the enthusiasm displayed in completing their assignments. It also gave me a greater appreciation of the creativity teachers express in teaching their students.

Was there ever a product you were sure would be a hit that never (or hasn’t yet) taken off?
I’m fortunate to have a brother who is an award winning physics teacher. Many ideas for new products have come from him. A number of years ago he suggested we sell a product for teaching projectile motion that he had obtained at a physics teachers meeting but was no longer being sold. After a couple of years of pushing this idea, I capitulated and introduced it in our catalog. The Air Powered Projectile quickly became one of our best selling products.

Thanks again to Peter for his candor and insights!

You can find out more about Arbor Scientific by visiting their website.

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