ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

erin, i'm sure others on the list will have concrete suggestions.  mine, i
think, goes more to making the process easier.  since you've got so many
questions, have you considered contacting someone close by who could might
be available for ongoing help?

perhaps contacting, and visiting, the science center in des moines?  they
might be able to help you and they're close by.  maybe a visit could be
arranged....

another option?  find some folks at Iowa State in mechanical
engineering/industrial design....these should be pretty easy questions for
folks like that to answer....

the reason i'm suggesting this approach?  good answers to your questions
need more context:  for instance, how long is the exhibit to last?  what's
the budget?  what's the age range of the audience?  how many people a day
using it?

one last suggestion:  if at all possible, test your ideas in some form or
another - prototype them to see if what you think will happen is what will
actually happen.  it doesn't have to be fancy or pretty; all you want is the
crucial feedback.

having offered this advice, i'm not suggesting you discontinue posting
questions - and updates - to the list.

good luck!

Jeff Courtman
Mind-Works
4026 Richmond Ave
Shreveport, LA  71106
214.450.8872

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]