Testing the Sensory Objects Cookbook, Sudley House Liverpool 21.03.14

By kate | April 18, 2014 - 7:00 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Although making sensory boxes were planned during this session, we used the whole session to feedback about the book its self. It took longer than expected so we made some sensory boxes in our final session at Sudley, the pictures below show some of our Sudley House Boxes made during our final session.

Angela’s box of Sudley House

Close up of Stephen’s Box of Sudley House

Ticky wrote this report for us on the groups thoughts about the cookbook. We began by recapping on the previous session. We went around the group individually to share Objects made last week, iPad photos, Printed photos, to help them to remember and to share. In pairs – with support staff and service users we looked at the whole of the cookbook.Feed back was filmed and some notes were written in the books. Some really useful comments and suggestions came out of this session.

The name is misleading
It would be good to have the whole section about one activity in one place instead of separated with appendices
It would be good to have a list of things you need for the activity with the cartoon
A session planning template would be useful for support staff
A filled in version as an example would show supporters what kind of thing to write

(We made a template for support staff as part of the Hands On training – but we think it could do with being reformatted as it looks too much like a form and some staff find that off putting.)

A blank page for notes would also be useful
J&G have been adding a starting activity (ice breaker) and a feed back session at the end and this could be worth suggesting in the book if it is to be used by support staff.
Who is the intended audience for the book? Casual visitors? Venue staff? Support staff, service users all?
It could be used by groups visiting if they were handed a sheet on arrival to help them focus their visit on a sense?
Or for a 6 week block visit
Could be a really useful tool for support staff to plan activities at the base through the senses over several weeks – for example a group have South America as their topic and could choose to have a food focus then music……
Suggested that it could be less linked to a house and made more general
Produced as a durable book as it would get a lot of use and handling
Asked about web resources they didn’t think it would work as staff in day centres are not given the time to go on line and down load plans
And they would be unlikely to up load their photos, films sound clips, comments for same reason.
Unless it was incorporated into the session

Other comments on book

Simple symbols possibly in colour and quite big needed for the senses to be used where ever there are titles smell touch etc introduced in the contents page where it can be explained if necessary then recognised elsewhere.
Symbols Used in place of the photos which are too ambiguous in contents and else where (although lovely for the group as they are in them)
Most of the cartoons are brilliant and are an excellent way to engage with the book for people with learning disabilities.
Some pictures are confusing and misleading – microphone mistaken for an ice cream – mouse confuses people – smell pictures are hard to read – texture is most unclear and needs rethinking – possibly using real pictures?
The questionnaire is not made for people with learning disabilities
If you want their comments need more work on this – yes/no answers smiley face sad face.
Pictures
Some comments written in books directly which I will send to you along with the films of people feeding back.

Testing the Sensory Objects Cookbook, Smell at Sudley House Liverpool 06.03.14

By kate | April 18, 2014 - 7:00 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Our Co-researchers in Liverpool continued to test the Cookbook at Sudley House, This week they concentrated on the sense of smell.

Using cookbook smell collection workshop

Ticky brought some bags containing various smells, and the group discovered some things that smelled at Sudley House.

Smells of Sudley, including cleaning materials, primroses and onions.

Testing the Sensory Objects Cookbook Sound at Sudley House Liverpool 27.02.14

By kate | April 18, 2014 - 7:00 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Our group of Co-researchers in Liverpool have continued to test the Sensory Objects Cookbook at Sudley House Liverpool throughout February and March 2014. Each week members of the Access to Heritage group have met and tried out a different sensory expedition. In an earlier post we told you about a touch activity, the next was sound.”

The group brought sound making equipment with them to Sudley house, Shakers, Keyboard, etc. June led an activity where we all had to close our eyes and sit quietly for a couple of minutes just to listen. Then we went round the room to find out what people had heard. It was surprising what you could hear when you listen! Shoes on stairs, I heard, people talking, Chairs creaking, bird song, dogs barking, Carl drinking coffee and putting cup down, the sea. In the house we went round in small groups with i pads which we used to record images and sound. We created some sounds our selves – like opening drawers, walking on wooden floors and turning the pages of a book.

Sound workshop, collecting, imagining and making sounds at Sudley House

We recorded people chattering and clinking in the tea room. We imagined what other sounds might have gone on at the dining table for example – pouring drinks, laughing. cutlery, clock ticking, banging plates, biting, chewing, scraping. After lunch we listened to sounds each of us had recorded on the i pads: a creaking door, hitting railings with a stick, turning a door handle, walking down stairs, cafe sounds,rain drop, fire cracking, talking. Some people took photos of paintings and photos and imagined the sounds they would make. The group didn’t end up using the sound makers they had brought with them.

Testing the Sensory Objects Cookbook at Sudley House Liverpool 07.02.14

By kate | February 11, 2014 - 1:27 pm |July 29, 2016 Research, Speke Hall

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This testing session the first of six was a chance for Nic to introduce the Cookbook to a new group, and to introduce Sudley House. The picture below shows our Co-Researchers looking at the Cookbook.

Cookbook Test at Sudley House

Stephen Hogg, Angela Green, Gerry Regan and June Jenkins were Sensory Objects Co-Researchers 2012-13 at Speke Hall Liverpool. We asked them along with Ticky Lowe and Nic Hollinworth to meet and introduce John, Keith and Pauline and support worker Anita from Stockbridge Day Centre to the Sensory Objects project Cookbook. John, Keith, Pauline and Anita are new to the project and we wanted to show them the Cookbook and see if they found it easy to use as a guide to planning sensory activities at a new venue. Led by Ticky we explored Sudley House focusing on and recording textures of actual objects, costume and objects in paintings.

Sudley Hall Textures

Then back in the workshop room we used Ticky’s collection of fabrics to choose textures like the ones we found in the house to make a “textural” record of our visit. For the next sessions Anita will be using the cookbook to plan and deliver workshops at Sudley House herself. Ticky’s role will be to document the sessions and find out how Anita finds using the cookbook to plan and deliver the sessions.

Sensory Stories Retold Seminar May 7th Museum Of Liverpool

By kate | June 12, 2013 - 10:27 pm |July 29, 2016 Research, Speke Hall

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Pictures below document the Sensory Stories Retold Seminar at the Museum of Liverpool May 7th 2013

This picture shows Marcus Weisen during his presentation

Sensory Stories Retold Presentation

Picture below shows Co-researcher Chris demonstrating his box to seminar delegates

Chris demos his box

Picture below shows Co-researcher Elle demonstrates her Speke Hall box to some seminar delegates

Elle demonstrates her box

The picture below shows seminar delgates trying Squishy Circuit workshop

Seminar delegates trying out squishy circuits workshop

Picture below shows Paul demonstrating the talking book of Speke Hall

Paul shows talking picture book

Picture below shows Andy during his presentation

Andy’s presentation

The picture below shows Nic during his presentation

Nic giving his presentation

Kate and Chris during their presentation in picture below

Kate and Chris during presentation

The picture below show Tick and Ross during their presentation

Ticky and Ross during presentation

Picture below shows delegates experiencing Touch Pods

Delegates try Touch Pods

The picture below shows Marcus Weisen leading final seminar discussion

Sensory Stories Retold Seminar Audience

Sensory Stories Retold Seminar May 7th Handout

By kate | May 3, 2013 - 2:51 pm |January 31, 2015 Research, Speke Hall

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Handout for the Sensory Stories Retold Seminar on Tuesday May 7th

Microsoft Word - HAND OUT FOR THE DAY EASY READ Seminar at the M

‘Sensory Stories Retold’ Seminar on May 7th

Image

By Andy | April 14, 2013 - 7:17 pm |July 29, 2016 Research, Speke Hall

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The Project team will be presenting demonstrations, talking about our work and running a workshop at the Museum of Liverpool on 7th May 2013.

Here is info about the Event in easy read

• The Sensory Stories Retold seminar will showcase the first year of the project, which was based at Speke Hall, a National Trust house in Liverpool. The research team will present their work with interactive demonstrations of their sensory objects and a hands-on workshop for attendees to try making their own.
• The day will feature a discussion led by Marcus Weisen (Jodi Mattes Trust), and a presentation by Ticky Lowe (Access to Heritage) about the Jodi Award Winning Touch Pods project.
• The event provides an opportunity to discuss and explore museum and heritage engagement, the potential of sensory art-based workshops, the use of electronics in museum interpretation, and multimedia advocacy.

Sensory Stories Research Event at Speke Hall March 21st

By kate | March 23, 2013 - 10:12 am |July 29, 2016 Research, Speke Hall

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Liverpool Echo Sensory Stories at Speke Hall

We held a very enjoyable, well attended show and tell event at Speke Hall where we presented our research so far into interactive sensory objects. Researchers discussed the sensory boxes in the Great Hall giving the public the chance to find out about our research.

Group shot Speke

Members of the public were given the chance to tryout the different interactive boxes and other sensory experiements. The Co-Reasearchers showed their sensory boxes to the public. Group boxes

Angela Points Steve with box Elle We also held a Squishy Circuit workshop in Speke Hall Kitchen to make cakes for afternoon tea decorated with LED’s.These pictures below show some of the public trying out the boxes.

listening to elle's sensory box Listening to Patricks box

Elle tries speaking cushion

These pictures show Elle demonstrating the strokable speaking cushion and a member of the public exploring the interactive loaf of bread.

We had alot of interesting feedback and visitors were given a biscuit designed during an earlier workshop by Co-Researchers Chris Griffiths and Terry. We commissioned 100 to be made to their design by the Liverpool Cake Fairy they disappeared quickly and were delicious.

Speke Biscuits In this video below Co-Researcher Paul Lorde is shown with his sensory box, you can hear sounds he recorded from Speke Hall and see the electronics that trigger the sounds. Paul spent the afternoon in the Great Hall showing his research to the public and he sums up the day.

This video below shows pupils from Elle’s school The Royal School for the Blind trying out the strokable cushion which triggers stories about the people that used to live in Speke Hall. We didn’t expect more than one person to use the cushionat once, really enjoying this interaction.

The video below shows Co-Researcher Patrick Cowley with Researcher Ticky Lowe demonstrating to members of the public his sensory box which gives a sensory experience of his favourte room in Speke Hall the Billiard Room. His box also shows a camera with and a flash light triggered by a proximity sensor inside the box. So when you peer in it flashes. Patrick also had placed the smell of sherry he notice on a side board in the room. The box has photographs taken by him on the outside.

Sensory Objects Flyer Thursday 21st March

By kate | February 15, 2013 - 2:39 pm |July 29, 2016 Research, Speke Hall

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Sensory Objects flyer 21st March

This is the poster for our Sensory Stories day at Speke Hall on Thursday 21st March from 12.30 – 3.00pm. We are inviting you to come and see our reserach into Interactive Sensory Objects.

Workshop at New Hutte Neighbourhood Centre 10th February

By kate | February 15, 2013 - 2:24 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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We continued to work at the New Hutte Neighbourhood Centre on the sensory boxes adding different ways of triggering sounds and lights. We are getting everything ready for our event on March 21st at Speke Hall.

The picture below shows Stephen with is box it makes the sound of the clocks of Speke Hall chiming at 12 o’clock.

Stephen and his box

The picture below shows Chris with his two boxes one makes the sound of billiards being played and the other one has the sound of the barrel organ playing.

Chris and his Boxes

Chris hooks up his Arduino

Angela adding sounds and faces to her box

Inside Angelas box

This picture shows Anne and Derek working with air hardening clay.

Derek began to make some clay sculptures for his box

Paul and his box

Patricks box has a proximity sensor

Elles Box has an Arduino programed to make coloure LED lights flicker like a fire

Speke Hall Workshop 28th Jan 2013

By kate | January 30, 2013 - 11:32 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Stephen choosing sounds recorded for his box

The Access to Heritage group continued to work on thier sensory boxes choosing sounds and lights exploring different ways of triggering them. They learnt how to add an arduino micro controller, speaker, battery and LED lights inside their box. The picture above shows Stephen choosing sounds recorded by the group in an earlier workshop. In the picture below Elle is also choosing sounds listening to them through one of the small portable speakers.

Elle choosing recorded sounds for her box

The picture below shows Elle adding LED lights to her box to make a fire place.

Elle makes fireplace for her box

Chris working with clay

The picture above shows Chris modelling objects for his box from clay

Speke Hall Workshop January 21st 2013

By kate | January 21, 2013 - 10:45 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Snow at Speke Hall by Terry

Due to the snow only Chris and Terry could make it to our workshop. Chris reviewed the sounds the Access to Heritage group had recorded from Speke Hall. We asked which sounds we he would like to put into his sensory box.

Nic showed Chris how to use and install an Arduino controller, tilt sensor and speaker into his box.

Smell and Sound Workshop Dec 7th 2012

By kate | December 8, 2012 - 4:15 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Access to Heritage group divided into two groups and collected the smells of Speke Hall. We had some foam devices a bit like bicyle pumps to suck up a smell and then capture the aroma of air into plastic bags. The smells were labelled with an image or text.
Sucking up Christmas Smell	Angela collecting smells

Michael collecting and baging up smells of Speke Hal

Bags with smells collected at Speke Hal

The group were also given some objects to test with sensors embedded that would trigger sounds. Gosia made some notes about the activity of testing, “Everyone was sitting around the table, there was a lot of chatter. The first object introduced to a small group was a loaf of bread that made some sounds when touched. The sounds were the recordings made by the group in a previous workshop. The bread played the sound of cooking, spoons and pans clattering. The sound trigger in the bread did not work every time. The participants started touching and exploring the bread trying to get the sound to work until the bread was smashed”

Arduino Inside

Loaf sensor – post exploration

The pictures below show some of the other objects with sensors embedded.

Patrick explores sensor

Louise tests stroke sensor in box

Advisory Group Meeting 6th Nov 2012

By kate | November 8, 2012 - 6:03 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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We held the first meeting of the Interactive Sensory Objects Advisory Group at MERL Museum of English Rural Life at the University of Reading. This is a group assembled to reflect and advise on how our project is running. The group gave the chance to share our activities with people from outside the project who suggested where we can improve our research.

The picture below shows the Advisory Group this photo was organised by Stephen.

Stephen Hogg with June and Gerry came from Liverpool to represent the Access to Heritage Forum

The picture below shows Stephen and Gerry with Marcus Weisen looking at Stephens Box where he had collected sensory material about Speke Hall. Stephen demonstrated his box and spoke about it to the people at the meeting so they had a good idea of what we have been doing in the workshops.

Speke Hall Workshop, October 23rd 2012

By kate | October 24, 2012 - 8:56 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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This workshop concentrated on the surface textures of Speke Hall from carvings to cloth. The workshop aimed to highlight the tactile experiences of visiting the hall. It was also developed through the co-researchers responses to their guided tours.The kitchen was very popular many of the group were used to mixing, using scales so we decided to bake biscuits that were sculptures and surfaces, we had used raw dough for an earlier workshop which the group seemed to feel free to express thier ideas manipulating the dough. The workshop let the group experience the transition from soft to hard through baking. The workshop was introduced as more sculptural than baking, the group were told that they didn’t have to eat the biscuits they could be varnished and used as material for thier box. The group looked at images they had photographed from earlier tours of carved wood, wallpaper, fabric, cobbles the black and white of the halls facade etc.

The picture below shows Chris and Paul mixing biscuit dough.

Chris and Paul Mix Dough

The picture below shows Chris making a Speke Hall clockface biscuit

Chris clock biscuit

Stephen made biscuits in the shape of cobble stones outside Speke Hall

Stephen with Cobble Biscuits

Stephen checks the oven

Stephen Checks Biscuits

The picture below shows a picture of Biscuits inspired by Speke Hall

Biscuits Finished

Speke Hall Workshop, October 8th 2012

By kate | October 8, 2012 - 9:39 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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This workshop concentrated on collecting, making and recording sounds from Speke Hall. Some of the sounds may go inside the boxes made in the last workshop. You can hear some of the sounds on the box webpage here

There was an initial briefing in the education room at Speke, where a video of Sheila (a Speke Hall volunteer) was played. She described the sounds that you could hear in the house at the present time, and also some of the sounds that you would expect to hear when the house was it was used as a family residence. Following the introduction, the Co Researchers looked at some of the equipment for making sounds (such as the miniature barrel organ) and then either collected sounds from around the hall, or made sounds themselves used materials supplied.

The image below shows Elle making the miniature barrel organ play its sound. After the picture was taken she discovered that holding it on a flat, hard surface (the table) makes it sound much louder.

Elle plays music by turning the handle on the miniature barrel organ

Paul does the same with mini barrel organ:

Paul playing the barrel organThe picture below show Elle making the clip clop sound of horses hooves with coconut shells, Tracy recorded the sound.

The picture below show Elle making the clip clop sound of horses hooves with coconut shells, Tracy recorded the sound.

Elle makes sound of horses hooves

The picture below shows Paul and Angela they found that if they squeezed the cellophane gentley it would sound like a fire crackling.

Paul and Angela fire sound

Paul and Angela popped bubble wrap this worked even better than cellophane as the sound of a crackling fire.

The picture below shows Paul with a whisk in a metal jug. The group tried to make a sound scene of the kitchen.

Paul makes kitchen sounds

The picture below shows Angela using some wooden paddles that would form butter into a block, by rubbing them past each other they made a rasping sound we did not try them with butter between them.

Angela explores the sound that butter pats make

Sounds Collected Around the Hall

Sounds were collected from around the hall, either by directly recording the available sounds (e.g. clocks ticking) or making the sounds happen by some form of interaction. In the two images below, Christopher records the sounds made by billiard balls moving along the baize surface, and when the balls collide.

Christopher recording sound of the billiard balls

Christopher recording the sound of the billiard balls

Christopher recording the sounds made by the billiard balls

Christopher records the sounds made by the billiard balls

The picture below shows Elle with volunteer costume tour guide Fiona. They collected the sound of the cue and balls knocking together. Sometimes it was difficult to know whether Elle wanted to hold the sound recorder or take part in the activity that made the sound.

Elle and Fiona billiards sound of cue on ball

The sound made by the ‘secret lock’ and the creaking of the cupboard door in one of the bedrooms was captured by Elle:

The lock behind the ‘secret’ panel is revealed! Click … cluck

The sounds of the creaking floorboards was also capture on the top floor of the house:

Elle examines a fossil on the limestone floor for it’s texture. Co Researchers are encouraged to explore all sensory forms, even if not strictly part of the exercise:

Elle examines the fossil of a belemnite for its texture

The picture below shows Elle ringing a bell in the kitchen to collect the sound.

Elle rings bell in kitchen at Speke Hall

The picture below shows Elle using the sound recorder to record the sound of rustling fabric of Fiona and Veras costumes.

Elle collects sounds of the costumes

Dancing to the barrel organ from sensoryobjects on Vimeo.

Paul makes sounds in the kitchen from sensoryobjects on Vimeo.

Elle feeling and listening to book from sensoryobjects on Vimeo.

Elle in Kitchen from sensoryobjects on Vimeo.

sounds from the corridor carpet from sensoryobjects on Vimeo.

Speke Hall Workshop, Sept 17th 2012

By kate | September 18, 2012 - 6:20 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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At the workshop the Access to Heritage Group participated in 3 activities.

Access to Heritage Group with boxes

Creating a box that contained a multisensory version of Speke Hall. We asked the group to imagine they would send a parcel to a similar group in Australia or somewhere far away. This picture below shows the group at the end of the day showing the sensory boxes of Speke Hall.

The picture below show Stephen working on his box he was interested in the black and white wood work of the house, the servant bells he made one for his box and the swords in the Great Hall.

Stephen working on his box

The picture below shows Patrick working on his box

Patrick and his box

The picture below shows inside Patricks Box. Patrick was keen to visit the Billiard Room again and talked about his friend playing billiards. Ticky helped Patrick mix some essential oils on a napkin to create a sherry smell for the box as he was able to smell a decanter of sherry in the room. He also enjoyed feeling the pattern carving in the hallway outside the room and the green of the table.

Inside Patricks box

The picture below shows Angela working on her box, she made a secret compartment which was based on seeing the Priest Hole in the upstairs bedroom.

Angela puts things in her box

The picture below shows Chris with Terry working on the box

Chris making his box

Here is a video clip of Chris explaining whats in his box and why.

The Pictures below were taken by Chris he mentions the metal of the suit of armour and the metal of the kitchen as important materials to explore the history of the house.

The picture below shows wooden shield and crossed metal swords

Chris Photo Swords

The picture below shows metal spits for cooking meat in the kitchen.

Chris Photo Kitchen Metal Spits

The picture below shows a suit of Armour in the Great Hall.

Chris Photo Suit of Armour

The picture below shows metal covers for food dishes in the kitchen the metal looks very similar to the suit of armour.

Chirs Photo Kitchen Metal Pans

The group visited Speke Hall again but this time only looked at two or three rooms including the Great Hall, the Kitchen, the Oak bedroom and bathroom upstairs.The group were thinking about what infomation to send in their parcels. Some of the carers took notes of things that were discussed and put them in the box. We thought about the senses and ideas for sounds to put in the boxes at the next workshop.

Elle feeling a surface in the bedroom

Elle and Angela explore the bedroom

Elle feels bed

Elle and wallpaper

Elle with loofer

Three: Andy helped each member add pictures to a webpage of the day. You can see the page if you click here

The picture below shows the webpage made on the day with Stephen and his box.

Stephen box on the webpage projected

The picture below shows Elle on the webpage in the bedrooms.

Elle feeling bedstead on webpage

Sheila on the sounds of Speke Hall

By Andy | September 9, 2012 - 6:25 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Sheila is a Volunteer from Speke Hall. She has worked here as a Victorian Guide for more than 4 years. Here she shares her thoughts on the Sounds of Speke Hall.

Sounds1 from andy minnion on Vimeo.

So, what would Speke Hall have sounded like back in the Victorian era? Sheila conjures up the constant noise and activity from back in those days.

Sounds2 from andy minnion on Vimeo.

What were the sounds of Speke Hall for Miss Watt when she lived in the house?

sounds3 from andy minnion on Vimeo.

Sheila specialises in story telling as you can tell from her commentaries.

Multimedia Advocacy Workshop at Liverpool Mencap

By Andy | August 30, 2012 - 11:40 am |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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We had a workshop to introduce use of the Klik in ‘easy build’ website as a tool for Multimedia Advocacy to the Project participants and researchers and their supporters. It was at Liverpool Mencap’s Offices. Andy and Ajay from the Rix Centre showed the group how the Wiki Websites work and everyone had a go at making a website.

Here is a couple of video clips of what people thought of the workshop…

DSCN0305 from andy minnion on Vimeo.

DSCN0303 from andy minnion on Vimeo.

The ‘easy-build’ website worked well as a frame for conversations, self-advocacy and thinking about what we wanted to say to the public. We came up with a plan for a wiki that could feed our thoughts into the Speke Hall workshop series.

We planned 6 sections for our Wiki website to capture the Sensory Object research that we are doing.

ABOUT US – where we introduce all of us researchers and our supporters

SPEKE HALL – where we show the pictures, sound and video clips that we take at Speke Hall. We add our comments and share our thoughts.

WORKSHOPS – about each of the project workshops, we share our pictures and clips, talk about what we liked and our ideas.

MAKING THINGS – here we share the various creative things we have done, especially our work with artists and our work with exhibitions and collections

MUSEUMS – a section where we talk about our experiences of museums, collections and heritage sites. We use pictures and clips to talk about what works for us and what doesn’t!

MESSAGES – here we will let people know what we have to say about museums, heritage sites and how Sensory Objects can make them better. We will sum up what we learn on the project and give advice from our experience… we will tell it how it is!

We have ANOTHER PLAN – to make a wiki at each workshop session as part of organising our pictures and clips, thinking over our impressions and working up our comments.

Derek blogs about the third sensory object workshop on Mencap Liverpool webpage

By kate | July 20, 2012 - 11:12 am |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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This is a screen grab from Mencap Liverpool webpage

Access to Heritage Forum Workshop Three

By kate | July 10, 2012 - 10:52 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Today we held our third workshop with the Access to Heritage Forum at Speke Hall.

The aim of the day was to review and reflect on the tours of the last visit. Then introduce the group to some simple electonics and hands on modelling with clay. We hoped the group would experiment and play with these materials in order to discover how switchs work, to discover something familiar could have the potential to become something different. Then the group were introduced to squishy circuits making models with conductive and insulating dough experimenting with LED’s and motors.

Squishy Circuits

Derek models the squishy circuit dough

Derek tries the instant camera

Jane modelling squishy circuits

The picture below shows Derek modelling dough and getting his red LED to light up.The picture below shows Derek photographing his model.The picture below shows Jane modelling with the dough

Elle models with Squishy Circuits

Elle models insulating and conductive dough Squishy Circuits with LEDs

The pictures of Elle above and below show her modelling conductive and insulating dough and aluminium, she then added some red and green LED lights that flashed on and off.

Kyle and the rest making squishy circuits

Kyle and the rest of the Access To Heritage Group making squishy circuits

Squishy circuit model

The picture below shows Kyle exploring a motor, Elle working on her landscape Tom creating an on/off switch with dough for his model and Jane modelling with dough.This pictureToms Squishy Circuit below.

Constructing keys for an electronic piano

The last activity of the day was to construct simple keys for an electronic piano using pieces of foam and adhesive aluminium foil. Each participant created a single ‘key’ for the keyboard using a block of hard expanded foam as a base, and placing a strip of adhesive aluminium foil on the top to act as a touch pad. A wire was attached to the foil which would be plugged into the Arduino board.

Tom and Elle make their keys for the keyboard

When all of the participants had created their keys, they brought them to the front of the room and we plugged each of them into the Arduino board. This was connected to a laptop running a simple program that used the keys as input to play various electronic instruments, such as a piano, church organ, bells, oohs and aahs.

Keys and arduino

Almost everyone had a play with the piano …

Jane making music

Jane playing keys

This video shows Jane playing the keys

The video clip shows Kyle trying out the keys sounding like an organ

This clip show Elle playing the keys sounding like a piano.

Elle on Royal school for Blind Webpage

Elle attends the Royal School for the Blind and featured in the school newspage telling the school about her involvement in our Sensory Object research project.

Access to Heritage Forum Workshop Two

By kate | June 25, 2012 - 8:45 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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2nd workshop at Speke Hall education room Access to Heritage Group prepare for Victorian Tour

Today we had the second workshop at Speke Hall Liverpool. We met in the education room where the group got ready for a guided Victorian Tour.

Vera costume guide with Anne and Angela

Louisa with tour guide trys the ceiling box in the Oak Parlour

Patrick Points at the Barrel Organ

Angela photos tea at Speke Hall

Patrick in the Billiard room

Each member of the Access to Heritage group had a camera to document their tour. We divided up into three groups each with our own guide dressed in Victorian Costume. The first costumed Victorian tour guide was with Vera second tour was with Sheila the third tour with Bernice. The group were asked to take pictures of things they would like to be able to smell/taste touch and hear.

They used this list below to remind them what they need to capture and to make notes for a later discussion.

Sensory Tour Guide

We had a look at some of the pictures the group had taken

Celebrating Dereks Brithday

We also had a Birthday Cake with candles to celebrate Dereks birthday!

Access to Heritage Forum report on first workshop on Mencap Webpage

By kate | June 16, 2012 - 1:16 pm |July 29, 2016 Speke Hall

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Access to Heritage Forum report on first workshop on Mencap Webpage Mencap Liverpool webpage

Access to Heritage Forum Workshop One 2012

By kate | May 23, 2012 - 4:37 pm |February 4, 2017 Research, Research & Impact, Speke Hall

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We had the first interactive sensory workshop today with the Access to Heritage Forum at the Museum of Liverpool.

The day went really well it was great to meet everyone and discuss how we will work together on the research project as participative researchers and how the group may document vists and workshops with various cameras we tried out in the workshop.

Some of the group had worked on the Sensory Trail at Speke hall, we talked about the objects and workshops from then. We started by wondering what interactive sensory objects could be. We looked at some everyday objects exploring how we use them and what was the effect of using them.

The objects included a fan, a feather boa, some gloves with rubbery bits on them, a hat made from bubble wrap, bicycle horns, violet sweets, a bright green polishing mit, a bar of soap, brushes, a jar of lemon zest. The group explored each object and what associations they made from the various tastes smells and sounds. We thought about how all these objects are in some way interactive, physical…then nick demonstrated an object that used electronics to make interactions. We thought about the differences and similarities of the objects. Nic demonstrated a Bend sensor which made a smiley face smile.

Then the group tested some cameras to discover how easy they were to use and what aids could be made to make documenting the research and become more accessible.

The group gave us an insight into the problems they experience using cameras we wrote their thougts on colour stars on the cameras.

K liked the sound of the Polaroid camera this was felt to be important for those with visual impairment it made it clear when and how many pictures had been taken.

D felt it was important that the Polaroid gave an instant physical result.

P L found the camera too bulky and hard to hold.

The Nikon cool pics camera was liked by the group the camera has a touch screen you can swipe through the images in a similar way to an iPad.

P had a lot of comments about it he liked it because it has one button for video and one for stills P also liked the strap as he was worried about dropping some of the equipment.

A liked the Sony cyber shot because it only had 2 buttons.

Most of the group liked using the iPad to take photos although some found it difficult to which button to press.

They all enjoyed viewing images on the ipad, it’s big screen and scrolling through the images.

The group found the Sony video camera had too many buttons?

A found the Kodak Flip camera easy to use with its big button but she and E found it hard to review the footage.

We discussed ways we could attach the Drift helmet camera to L’s wheelchair, she enjoyed having the camera held at her eye level by the clamp, and being able to see the screen but it was a bit small.

Images taken by the Drift wheel chair mounted camera

We discussed recording the sound of the poloroid so it could be used as sound on an iPad. We also discussed using a mini printer to have instant digital pics. Nick will make a holder for P to be able to hold the camera with one hand.

Some Additional Thoughts

A summary of the demonstration of sensors at the first Liverpool Museum workshop. Thoughts collectively by Nic and Faustina.

We used only a limited number of sensors to demonstrate some of the things that can be done to bring about changes in sound and visual displays. The intention in this workshop was just to introduce the idea of sensors to participants, and let them ‘play’ with these unfamiliar objects, and see what they do, as it is unlikely they will have come across anything like this before.

Bend sensor

This was limited to making a smiley face smile (or not) by flexing a strip of plastic. Bend it into a ‘U’ shape and the face smiles, but when straight it is neutral. But some participants used the sensor in unexpected ways:

shaking it, by holding one end
tapping on the table, by holding one end
using it with one hand and bending it against the body
twisting it lengthways
flexing it in both directions

Perhaps we could extend the range of possibilities of the sensor by allowing for these different ways of using it? One thing that was missing from this sensor was texture – it is currently plain plastic, and smooth to the touch.

Touch sensor

Although the touch sensor was easy to use (didn’t require any explanation other than ‘touch here’) … most people touched it multiple times, or tapped it, and often didn’t notice the change in sound. Part of this might have been because of the volume of background noise (making the sound difficult to hear) and perhaps also because the sounds were changes in instrument.

One or two people ‘stroked’ the touch sensor, which I thought would be a nice modification for the next session. Rather than just touch on/off, a surface which responds to touching, stroking – different forms of stroking behaviour?

Blowing

Not many people tried this as they were distracted by other things (taking pictures). The few who did try this out did not notice the effect of blowing. This might have been because the screen was hard to see, or perhaps also because of the action required, and the resulting animation. I don’t know. It needs a more obvious cue .. perhaps a ‘thing’ to blow into?

A few additional bits … (Nic’s observations)

These are the notes I made when we were collecting the feedback from the participants. Some of the observations will overlap with those above.

Polaroid

People generally liked the sounds made when pressing the button (although it was in a position that made it difficult to use), as it helped to know when you had taken a picture. Having the picture appear right away, and a physical object to handle was liked by most people, though the weight of the camera was a worry – concern about dropping it.

iPad

Generally liked, though a bit big and also concern about dropping it. Liked the big screen, and found the buttons okay, but some people found the capture button difficult to locate.

Sony

Awkward to use and too small. Buttons difficult to use, particularly when using just one hand. On a more positive note, liked the fact it only had two buttons.

Nikon

Easy to use, and easy to watch the videos and find the photos that had been taken, though I didn’t get a good idea of why this was favoured. Liked being able to take pictures by touching screen. (Need more information here.)

Kodak

Simple to take pictures, but other functions were not. Difficult to figure out how to turn on. Hard to find pictures and review videos. Buttons too small.