Interactive sensory objects for improving access to heritage

Abstract

In this project we explore how to enhance the experience and understanding of cultural heritage in museums and heritage sites by creating interactive multisensory objects collaboratively with artists, technologists and people with learning disabilities. We focus here on workshops conducted during the first year of a three year project in which people with learning disabilities each constructed a 'sensory box' to represent their experiences of Speke Hall, a heritage site in the UK. The box is developed further in later workshops which explore aspects of physicality and how to appeal to the entire range of senses, making use of Arduino technology and basic sensors to enable an interactive user experience.

In Search of a Decision-Making Framework for Involving Users Who Have Learning Disabilities or Sensory Impairments in the Process of Designing Future Technologies

“…Four papers reported using an approach other than UCD, PD, HCD or hybrid [35,36,41,42]. All of them involved users with learning disability and adapted their approach in some way to cater for their needs (all except one do not specify how many users they involved).…”

“…Apart from occasionally using the language of inclusion with terms such as 'codiscovery', there is no other referral to the inclusive design literature or discourse. Three papers, all reporting on the same project (Sensory Objects Project) position their approach as inclusive research [35,41,42].The researchers actually use the term 'inclusive design' to describe their approach, however the reference to researchers and co-researchers along with reference to the work of well-known participatory/inclusive research studies would suggest that they are sympathetic to inclusive research and perhaps see no difference between inclusive design and inclusive research [57]. This conflation of the two terms inclusive research and inclusive design may also reflect the multi-stakeholder nature of the project team.…”

“…However they also report that the biggest challenge for their team was the fact that users had such different reactions to one another despite all having the same 'label'. Allen et al conclude that they have learnt not to underestimate their co-researchers interest and ability to use technology [35].…”

Interactive sensory objects for and by people with learning disabilities

“…Central to the project is a series of multisensory art workshops, where our co-researchers explore how the different senses can be utilised to augment existing museum artefacts or to create entirely new ones [1]. The workshops are fundamentally experimental and exploratory in character, and this includes investigating the role and use of technology by co-researchers in the research and design process [4].…”

Monitoring Heritage Buildings with Open Source Hardware Sensors: A Case Study of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba

“…Further methods are being employed more and more frequently to study and preserve cultural properties [8,9]. …”