Sensory Objects Summer 2015

Sensory Objects has been busy over the last few months sharing our research nationally and internationally. Tower Project co-researchers produced a newsletter documenting the project.

Tower Project Newletter by Tim and Judith

Tower Project Newletter by Tim and Judith

We featured in an article by French journalist Clara Crochet-Damais which documented the award ceremony in Paris where we were awarded the International Access for All Design Trophy 2015 on the website FranceTVinfo

FranceTVinfoPage report on Design for All Foundation Award

FranceTVinfoPage report on Design for All Foundation Award

Nic getting trophy 2015

Summer 2015   Zena Hussein an Intern from UEL worked on data analysis from the Sensory Objects Project. Karl and Barbara Baeck from a tempo, a support network for people with disabilities to access employment, in Graz Austria, Karl and Barbara were funded by the European Union to study the Sensory Objects project. They intend to translate the Sensory Expeditions Activity book into German. The picture below shows Karl with Marc on an earlier visit to the project.

Karel with Marc from ‘atempo' Graz

Karl with Marc from ‘atempo’ Graz.

Sensory Objects were invited by Becki Morris to contribute to a new webpage Disability Cooperative Network the aim of the network is to share knowledge to break down barriers for disability in the cultural sector

DCN network

DCN network

you can see our Case Study Page here  Becki told us that the Sensory Stories Liverpool 2013 seminar was incredibly important to her and the cookbook had been an incredible resource. The webpage was launched by Becki as part of a Museums Association Seminar, Opening doors: Rethinking disabled access and interpretation in your museum23.06.15 The picture below shows Becki at our Sensory Stories Seminar in Liverpool in 213, co-researcher Chris is demonstrating the creak of his sensory Speke Hall box.

Chris demos his box

Chris demos his box

Sensory Objects present master class and demo at the Museum and Heritage Show 2015

On Wed 29th April Sensory Objects co-researchers from Tower Project presented a well attended master class and demo during the Museum and Heritage show at Olympia London. UEL had a stand where we displayed some of our Sensory Objects including some made by our co-researchers from Reading College Learners with Learning Difficulties/Disabilities dept at the Museum of English Rural Life including our yellow jiggling and grunting pig.

John with Rachel's yellow pig

John with Rachel’s yellow pig

The pig was very effective at catching peoples attention during the show, we also showed the sheep cushion that goes ‘baa’ when stroked.Tryingsheepcushion2

During the talk co-researchers from the Tower Project Judith Appiah and Tim Elson showed the audience their Sensory Labels for the Enlightenment Museum at The British MuseumGeraldine & Judith.

Tim showing his sensory label

Tim showing his sensory label

Tim and Judith described the workshop process and how they developed sensory information and shared their work with the public at the British Museum. Throughout the day many people came over to the stand to discuss ideas about how to make museums more sensory and inclusive.

Sensory Objects at Museums & Heritage Show

Sensory Objects at Museums & Heritage Show

We also took some photos of Tim, Judith and Kate with our recently awarded International Design For All Trophy 2015. We return for another Sensory Labels showcase in the Enlightenment Gallery at the British Museum on Thursday 28th May 2015.

 

Kate Judith and Tim with Design for All Award

Kate Judith and Tim with Design for All Award

Reading College LLD/D Students MERL Workshop 24.02.14

Co-Researchers with Design for all Award

Co-Researchers with our International Design for all Foundation Award

At our session at MERL we took photos of our group with our International Design for All  Foundation Award and celebrated by making a chocolate cake organised by Robyn.

Sensory Objects Researchers, Reading College Students and Staff with Design Award

In the garden of MERL with Sensory Objects Researchers, Reading College LLD/D Students and Staff with our International Design for all Foundation Award . Photo by RUMENA

Our Co-Researchers helped Robyn make a cake and prepare our lunch they were given the opportunity to try on some mop caps that farmers wives would wear.

Preparing lunch wearing Mop Caps

Preparing lunch wearing Mop Caps

Rachel helped Robyn mix the chocolate cake mix

To celebrate our award we made cakes

To celebrate our award we made cakes

Celebrating our award with tea and Cake

Celebrating our award with tea and Cake

Co-Researchers with Access for all Design Award in MERL

Co-Researchers in MERL with their International Design for All Foundation

After lunch Robyn asked the group to try making a glass filled with water make a ringing noise. The idea was for our Co-Researchers to do an activity that would allow the group to  be calm and restful. The picture below show Rachel making a glass of water make a ringing sound with her wet finger. We also asked the group to sit and look into a jar containing water and glitter each with farm animal inside that Robyn had made.

Making a glass sing Rachel

Making a glass sing Rachel

Looking at Glitter Jars

Looking at Glitter Jars

We also did more work on our interactive objects and posters for our event on JUNE 9th 2014.

Rumena worked on her chickens head it now has three eyes! Rumena chose a pair of yellow marigold gloves for the chickens wings, Nic is working on a way to make the wings flap. We tested a stroke sensor in Sians boot that made a mooing sound when she stroked the furry boot. We tested Luke’s ‘Blue Flag, Hole in one’ mechanisim it was nice and loud but now it needs to have Luke’ voice instead of numbers on the recording. We asked Skye about her creature and basket she would like all the farm animal noises. We explained to Guillermo that we plan to create 4 buckets with sensors that Guillermo can play, we also asked him about a balloon he had painted red and blue he said it was a donkey. Rachel would like her yellow pig to grunt, we also explained we will make her other pig rustle in its straw bucket. Rachel 2 worked on the nose of her pig which she would like to grunt when Squeezed.

We asked the group to fill in empty speech and thought bubbles for our poster. What sensory things have they heard, tasted, seen, touched and tasted in the Museum of English Rural Life, what do they think about the senses and MERL?

Sian&SkyeSpeech Bubbles

Sian & Skye Speech Bubbles

SianandSkyeThoughtBubbles

Sian and Skye Thought Bubbles

Luke drew his thoughts about the milk bottles in the display at MERL the picture is shown here alongside an instant pic taken by one of our Co-Researchers and given a smiley sticker as one of our groups favourite pics.

Luke picture of Milk bottles

Luke picture of Milk bottles

International Design for All Foundation Award 2014

This evening Nic was in Paris for the International Design for All Foundation Award and our project Sensory Objects won an International Design for All Foundation Award. The award was given for our research Making Electronics Accessible to People with Learning Disabilities we told them all about the research we are all doing to make the sensory objects workshops more accessible for our Co-Researchers. The picture below shows our award.

International Access for All Design Award

International Access for All Design Award

Sensory Objects Project has been selected as a Good Practice in the International Design for All Foundation Awards 2014.

Good_Practice_logo

Good Practice logo

Making Electronics Accessible to People with Learning Disabilities Category: Project proposals, initiatives, methodologies and studies has been selected as a Good Practice in the International Design for All Foundation Awards 2014