While working for Formula D Interactive, I was involved in the development and finalization of 2 Virtual Reality exhibits that are showcased at the Frost Museum of Science in Miami, Florida.

 

Shark Senses

Summary:

The first was Shark Senses: a 4D, virtual reality visitor experience that shows users how sharks hunt their prey. Under the direction of Johan DuToit (lead product designer), I became well acquainted with this exhibit and tackled numerous technical and aesthetic issues.

Challenges:

The weight of the Shark Head + the virtual reality components created a large enough bending moment to make a slight incline in the connection. Reducing material or components was out of the question,

Inside the sheet metal cabinet there are numerous electronic components which all generate their heat: UPS, Desktop PC, LCD Screen and arduino sensors, etc. Overtime, we knew the net heat would damage the screen and decrease the life of the PC.

I serviced the Shark Senses version 1 at the Save our Seas Museum in Cape Town, South Africa. All mechanical components were checked for damage and wiring was tested for proper connections.

Solutions:

To counteract the large bending moment, I designed a sleek, unobtrusive steel bracket with Solidworks. This support bracket was designed to handle a large tensile load. This support worked well and a perfect level was achieved across the Top plane.

After completing research on where each component was discarding its hot air, I made a small thermal cooling system with ducting and computer fans. This decreased the heat within the cabinet by appx. 8 degrees Celsius.

Results:

Shark Senses won the Iron A’Design Award in 2018 and the Red Dot Design Award in 2016.

 

Shark Senses at the Frost Museum of Science on Opening Day

Side Profile of Both Exhibits at Frost on Opening Day

Shark Senses (V1) Exhibit Promotional Flier

River of Grass

Summary:

The second visitor experience was River of Grass, which is an immersive AV landscape targeted towards preschool age children. This exhibit features a full-length day in the unique Florida Wetlands ecosystem.

Responsibilities:

I was responsible for fitting 3M, Honeycomb vinyl to the inside of the flashlight covers. The covers were chamfered octagons which meant creating strips of vinyl for each side. Honeycomb structures do not break across their lattice directions, so I had to get very inventive about how I cut and bonded each piece.

As seen in the picture below, the man is holding a flashlight and pointing it at the wall. Infrared sensors track the 3M honeycomb vinyl and projectors map out the corresponding light on the wall.

Infrared Flashlight in Everglades Environment

Kids Playing in River of Grass

Results:

River of Grass won the Golden A’Design Award in 2018.