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The new Exploratorium publication "Fostering Active Prolonged 
Engagement" has a chapter describing the development of a variation 
on the typical chladni plate design.

Rather than having the visitor "bowing" which can be difficult for 
many visitors, the design has a variable frequency driver and small 
metal plates of different shapes that can be swapped in and out.

The chapter is named "Visible Vibrations" and goes into great detail 
about the visitor interactions as the exhibit was tried out on the 
floor and how the exhibit was modified and features were added or 
subtracted to stimulate visitor curiosity and experimentation (that's 
the "active prolonged engagement" part).  At the end of the chapter, 
is mechanical drg of the critical section, the driver pin 
arrangement, with notes about the materials and parts.

If you are developing a chladni plate exhibit, I think the 20 bucks 
plus shipping to purchase the book, would be well worth it for this 
chapter alone.  (You can order the book through ASTC).

Eighteen other chapters describe the development of 18 other 
exhibits.  Each chapter is written by the exhibit developer/builder 
and their narratives describe the realities and challenges of 
interactive exhibit engineering, three steps forward, two steps back. 
These illuminating and informative "case studies" would be of 
interest to many exhibit developers, and their greatest general value 
is in conveying the tenacity and resourcefulness required for the 
creative process of exhibit development.

>Does anyone know the best materials for making a chladni plate 
>and/or a sound cannon?
>
>Thanks so much,
>Anna Grace
>--
>-----------------------
>Anna Grace
>Exhibit Developer
>
>Explorit Science Center
>3141 5th Street
>P.O. Box 1288
>Davis, CA 95617
>530.756.0191
>fax 530.756.1227
>http://www.explorit.org
>
>Explorit's expanding!  Read more about the four gallery spaces, how 
>the building connects to Explorit's current site and when 
>construction will begin at 
>http://www.explorit.org/expansion/index.html.  Think it.  Try it. 
>Explorit.
>
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-- 

Claire

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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
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