Finding Hidden Things
with Science

• The Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (CenSSIS) is proud to announce initiative in collaboration with the Junior Museum in Troy, NY.
• Our first portable exhibit "Finding Hidden Things With Science" was shown to school children during Rensselaer's Engineering Discovery and "Communiversity" Weekend October 5, 2002.
• It illustrates three kinds of subsurface probes:
  • Optical probe (infrared)
  • EM probe (metal detector)
  • Magnetic Fields (compass)
• This is the first of a series of CenSSIS-themed exhibits at the Museum.

Exhibit Design Goals

• It should disseminate basic science ideas related to subsurface sensing and imaging in an age-appropriate and safe manner.
  • Emphasis on younger ages (K-8)
  • Emphasis on interaction and discovery
    • The science principle is "revealed" by some action by the child
  • Emphasis on leading questions for kids
• It should be able to attract a child (and parent) in 15 seconds or less.
  • Should be immediately attractive
  • Sense of mystery should be obvious
  • Colors, fonts, sounds, lights, etc. used to attract kids
  • Should attract male and female students alike
• It should be as rugged and safe as possible
• It should be readily portable from one display site to another, so multiple school districts can be engaged
• Should allow multiple children to explore at once, collaboratively or otherwise
• The accompanying parent/teacher should be provided with a comfortable and useful role regardless of education level
  • Adults should find it interesting too
  • Accompanying poster/sheet "tips for parents"
    • Questions to ask
    • Some answers

The Mystery Mansion

• A colorful yet mysterious dollhouse
  • Doors and windows made of a special plastic that is visually opaque, but infrared transparent
  • Front door has a "?" on it
  • Set on a low colorful table
  • Inside is painted black
  • Several black wooden objects are inside the doll house
    • Hard to see, but can be felt
    • Shapes can be easily recognized
• Most children were naturally curious about what's inside the mansion.
  • They didn't hesitate to open the door, peer inside, and put their hand inside to feel the objects
  • Doll houses seem to be particularly "girl friendly"

The Mystery Backyard

• A variety of objects such as spoons, magnets, and toys are glued under the table
  • These objects are partially visible to provide a strong hint about what's below
• Bright yellow "?" signs beckon the child to find out what's underneath
  • They quickly learned to use a metal detector
  • They learned to use a compass to classify objects as being magnetic or non-magnetic
  • Invariably, and without guidance, they peered under the table to confirm their guesses!
  • The lights and beeps of the metal detector only helped!

The Look and Find Pool

• Plexiglass window in the table modeled as a backyard swimming pool
  • A variety of household metallic, non-metallic, magnetic, and non-magnetic objects are glued underneath
    • Plainly visible, and accessible to touch
    • Children realize quickly that not all of them can be sensed by the metal detector or the compass

What we have learned thus far

• The idea of finding mysterious and hidden things is extremely appealing to children
  • It appears to be a viable and powerful context vehicle for teaching science principles
  • It appears to have the early potential to help attract children towards science and engineering
• There are specific design principles and success criteria for science-themed exhibits
  • A systematic application of these principles can lead to successful exhibits
  • It remains to quantify these principles and test them on a larger scale
• It is clear that ERC's can accomplish many objectives simultaneously by working with local children's museums:
  • Attract undergraduates to help design, build, and show exhibits
    • Most of the CenSSIS Scholars (freshmen undergraduate research assistants) were attracted to the Museum Project as a way to get started in the center's activities
  • Attract school children at all levels
    • The seniors can help design, build, and show exhibits
  • Attract funding for K-12 outreach efforts
  • Successful results can become permanent exhibits that are directly accessible to the public, providing a long-term payoff

Acknowledgements — People

• Rensselaer Faculty
  • Badri Roysam (Associate Director, CenSSIS ERC; Professor, RPI)
• Museum Staff
  • Tim Allen (Executive Director)
  • Deanna Flanders (Manager of Youth & Public Programming)
  • Joseph Herwick (Director of Education & Operations)
• Art Technicians (ArtSpecs Inc.)
  • Shaw Cicci
  • Steve Martonis
• Zoom Into Engineering Group
  • Mary Hunt (WMHT Public TV)
  • A special word of thanks to Julia Peters (Director of Education, Children's Museum at Saratoga) for great impromptu ideas that contributed substantially to this project
  • Barbara Ruel (RPI Assistant Dean of Engineering)
  • Cynthia Smith (RPI Office of the First Year Experience)