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I have noticed in the last five years that the technology behind  
motion simulators (sometimes called 'ride films') has become more  
affordable, robust, and safe - to the point where it might be feasible  
to build an affordable unstaffed two-seat exhibit that would give  
visitors the chance to create a story and add their own motion cues.  
Two visitors might sit side-by-side with a table full of props in  
front of them. They would create the visual part of the story either  
by taking a series of still frames or by moving a hand-held video  
camera through an arrangement of props. They would create the motion  
portion of the experience either by choosing motion cues from a menu  
("left turn," "right turn," "go over bumps," "crash into wall," etc.)  
or there might be motion sensors built into the camera and they would  
swoop the camera through a landscape and bump it into props to record  
both video and motion at the same time. Then the moving chairs would  
play back the motion while visitors watch the story they created on a  
big screen. The main idea is to put the visitor in control of the  
experience in a highly physical and tactile way. And also to make  
storytelling and editing so fast and easy that visitors can do enough  
experimentation that they'll learn something. Does this idea have any  
merit?


Joe O'Connell
Creative Machines Inc.
3113 East Columbia Street
Tucson, AZ 85714
(520) 294-0939
(800) 861-7937 toll-free in North America
(520) 294-0848 fax
http://www.creativemachines.com
http://www.ballmachinesculptures.com








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