October 10, 2008 - The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology Uses Interactivity to Engage and Teach Visitors
October 10, 2008 – Scala, the leading provider of end-to-end connected signage software, today announced that the NorwegianMuseum of Science and Technology has deployed an interactive digital information network to engage and teach visitors about the world around them.
The NorwegianMuseum of Science and Technology (NTM) in Oslo is Norway's national museum for science, technology, industry, transportation and medicine. The museum's objective is to demonstrate the implications of progress in science and technology, socially and culturally, through the ages. The museum is an educational institution with collections, exhibitions, publications and other activities, which makes it a place of learning for all. Through its collections and exhibits it chronicles the development of Norway from an agrarian society to a complex industrial society. The NorwegianMuseum of Science and Technology is one of Norway’s most visited museums; popular for families as well as school classes. The museum is about 20,000 square meters and covers 4 different floors.
In an effort to make the exhibitions more engaging, the museum decided to employ interactive digital information screens. The museum’s goal is to encourage audience enthusiasm and stimulate learning. NTM turned to Scala Certified Partner Kongsberg Intellifield AS and their collaborator Eytor Interaktiv Media to create a compelling solution.
The solution proposed for the museum was to use Scala to create an interactive experience for the audience in both the “Climate X” exhibition and in the ScienceCenter.
Spectacular effects are used in this exhibition to show the causes and effects of global warming. The exhibition raises questions about our political choices, consumer behavior and technology development. The visitors wear special rubber boots when entering the exhibition, as the floor is covered with 10 cm of water to illustrate the effect of increasing sea level. Various relevant questions are displayed on the projector screen concerning global warming issues. The audience is encouraged to involve themselves and provide a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer by stepping on a red or green footprint embedded in the water. After a few seconds, the answers are compiled and displayed on the projector screen, citing the number of participants and the percentage of correct answers. The fact that the footprints (triggers) were embedded in water made the installation a unique challenge.
The ScienceCenter uses Scala at two exhibits. One exhibit includes an interactive water-pump installation that demonstrates energy creation through waterpower. Visitors follow on-screen instructions to pump water. When completed the screen displays the amount of energy created and how the energy can be employed.
Another exhibit emulates an interactive weather station where visitors can experience various occurrences of extreme weather. The visitor uses a touch screen, showing different examples of extreme weather. The resulting weather is displayed on a big screen surrounded by mirrors to enhance the effect.
“The highlight of the exhibit was the ability to deploy a topically relevant digital information solution in a demanding exhibition environment,” says Eytor Sigurbergsson, consultant in Eytor Interaktiv Media. “The Scala digital signage platform contributed to the success of the deployment by providing critical functionality to accommodate the unique requirements of the exhibit.”
Adding interactivity to the museum’s exhibitions has opened up a new realm of opportunities for the museum. The interactive exhibits engage visitors and stimulate learning about the world around them. Through better awareness of the relevant global warming issues, visitors are challenged to take better stewardship of the planet.
About Scala, Inc.
Founded in 1987, Scala pioneered the Digital Signage industry and today remains the world's largest provider of software for creating digital signage networks, driving more screens than all competitors combined. The company's InfoChannel product line is used for dynamic digital media networks in retail, education, entertainment, government and other industries for diverse applications such as Retail Advertising networks (Retail TV), Corporate Communications (Employee TV), Digital Billboards, Digital Menu Boards, Digital Posters, Community Access channels (Cable TV), Hotel lobby signage and information channels, Gas Pump "toppers", Convention Center Signage, Interactive touch-screens and Kiosks, etc. The Company's cutting-edge InfoChannel software platform powers thousands of digital signs around the world including the digital signage networks of Rabobank, IKEA, Bloomberg, Burger King, T-Mobile, Virgin MegaStore, EuroDisney, Kiwi, McDonalds, Warner Brothers, Santiago Airport, Ericsson, The Life Channel, Rikstoto, FuelCast, Repsol, Shell, NorgesGruppen, The Wall Street Journal Office Network and many more. Scala is today headquartered near Philadelphia, PA and has wholly-owned subsidiaries in The Netherlands, France, Norway, and Japan with a direct presence in a number of other locations and countries. Scala's products are primarily sold through an international network of Scala Certified Partners. More information is available at www.scala.com.
