item
in
question
is
relatively
small,
such
as
a
shell
or
3D
print
of
a
specimen.
Since
the
bases
are
identified
both
in
content,
location,
and
orientation,
users
can
select
a
physical
model
they
are
interested
in,
place
it
on
the
screen,
and
information
appears
around
it.
The
user
can
then
twist
the
base
to
orient
the
information
to
them,
or
pass
it
to
another
user
to
look
at
on
a
different
part
of
the
same
screen.
This
particular
iteration
of
the
touchscreen
evolution
is
particularly
appropriate
for
a
museum
like
the
Peabody,
where
there
is
such
a
huge
catalogue
of
items
that
can
fit
in
Petri-like
containers.
As
shown
in
Figure
1.1,
the
interaction
of
small
specimens
with
the
screen
and
the
resulting
touch
menus
that
spread
out
of
it
is
entrancing.
Imagine
an
exhibit
on
shells
where
the
visitors
can
select
an
shell
that
interests
them
and
see
the
environment
it
came
from
spring
to
life
on
the
screen
around
it,
with
information
about
the
species,
as
well
as
the
other
elements
it
is
connected
to
in
the
ecosystem
and
directions
to
where
those
elements
are
located
elsewhere
in
the
museum.
This
technology
can
also
be
used
to
create
interactive
gamification,
as
shown
by
the
Rio
Tinto
Alcan
Planetarium
in
Montreal.4 Their
EXO
exhibit
features
several
round
screens
representing
Earth
right
after
its
creation.
By
placing
pucks
of
different
graphics
onto
the
screen,
visitors
can
add
meteor
collisions
that
bring
water,
microorganisms
to
the
oceans,
greenhouse
gases
to
build
up
the
atmosphere,
and
finally
manipulate
the
digital
globe
to
see
their
handiwork.
Simply
updating
the
existing
touchscreens
in
the
museum
to
more
modern
specification
is
a
necessary
step
to
take
advantage
of
the
information
density
they
offer,
but
augmenting
the
experience
with
physical
elements
creates
an
extremely
powerful
interactive
tool
while
maintaining
the
Peabody’s
focus
on
physical
artifacts.
It
does
enlarge
the
size
of
the
screens
in
the
space,
but
the
number
of
users
also
drastically
increases
and
encourages
more
personalized
exploration
of
the
information
on
hand.
Opportunities
for
Expansion
Though
the
Peabody
currently
features
a
few
touchscreens
described
above,
the
vast
majority
of
informational
elements
of
the
museum
space
use
conventional,
non-dynamic
methods
such
as
printed
signs,
placards,
and
diagrams.
To
be
clear,
this
paper
does
not
seek
to
fully
replace
every
instance
of
such
information.
The
density
of
the
information
provided
by
digital
signage
can
be
a
double-edged
sword:
too
much
of
it
could
overwhelm
guests
and
keep
them
from
interacting
at
all.
There
is
an
inherent
beauty
to
clean,
physical
signs,
especially
in
the
context
of
historical
exhibits
where
screens
can
be
anachronistic.
Furthermore,
the
nature
of
traditional
screens
means
that
the
traditional
lighting
angle
is
reversed.
That
is,
instead
of
lights
pointing
at
signs
and
placards,
the
primary
light
source
comes
from
the
screen
itself.
This
gives
the
curators
less
control
over
the
intensity
and
brightness
of
a
space,
since
direct
light
onto
a
screen
is
almost
always
disruptive,
with
very
specific
exceptions.
Consider
David
Friend
Hall
if
each
mineral’s
information
was
provided
by
a
small
screen:
the
striking
darkness
and
contemplative
nature
of
the
space
would
be
drastically
affected.
For
this
reason,
museum-wide
adoption
of
traditional,
backlit
screens
for
all
text
display
is
not
preferable.
However,
there
do
exist
non-backlit
digital
displays
that
may
be
more
suitable
called
“digital
paper”.This
technology
was
popularized
by
the
Amazon
Kindle,
which
showcased
its
major
features:
it
is
a
passive
display,
meaning
it
only
consumes
power
to
change
the
current
screen
output
and
otherwise
is
off,
and
matte
surface
interacting
naturally
with
ambient
light.
These
two
features
make
digital
paper
an
ideal
solution
to
dynamically
updating
signage
in
a
space
while
maintaining
full
control
of
the
lighting
environment
and
minimizing
power
consumption.
The
battery-powered
options
from
Visix5 can
last
up
to
10,000
updates,
which
makes
the
power
supply
about
as
future-proofed
as
possible
for
battery
replacement
while
removing
any
additional
wiring
challenges
and
allowing
for
movement
to
different
parts
of
the
museum.
The
Visix
signs
are
updated
by
a
Radio-Frequency
(RF)
transmitter,
and
can
be
used
to
probe
the
current
battery
life
of
signs
to
proactively
replace
batteries
in
the
case
of
failures.
For
a
Peabody
looking
to
reimagine
itself
as
a
dynamic,
constantly
evolving
space,
easy
changeable
signage
without
wasteful
reprinting
seems
to
be
a
must.
Beyond
the
functional
elements,
though,
it
is
not
hard
to
imagine
an
implementation
of
digital
paper
as
a
more
interactive
element
in
a
gallery
where
low
light
levels
are
required,
as
long
as
the
information
is
not
in
color
or
animated.
There
are
other
areas
of
the
museum
where
the
intention
of
the
current
conventional
signage
is
ready-made
for
update
by
animated
content
on
screens.
Consider
the
various
dioramas
in
the
Peabody:
they
all
have
images
similar
to
Figure
1.2,
with
a
sketch
of
the
diorama
overlayed
with
labels
and
a
corresponding
key
with
information
about
the
flora
and
fauna
inside.
Imagine
instead
a
high-resolution
picture
of
the
diorama
on
a
small
touchscreen
with
understated
outlining
around
the
items
of
interest.
In
much
less
space,
the
screen
can
provide
all
the
information
of
the
conventional
image
while
avoiding
the
deciphering
stage
and
can
be
coupled
with
minor
gamification
to
increase
interaction
with
the
dioramas
themselves.
This
could
take
the
form
of
an
I-Spy-style
game
where
the
screen
can
prompt
visitors
to
find
a
certain
number
of
animals
or
types
of
animals
within
the
diorama
and
show
correct
answers.
Additionally,
the
difference
between
independently
looking
at
the
dioramas
and
hearing
about
them
from
an
experienced
curator
is
dramatic.
The
design
of
these
exhibits
is
a
historical
marvel
of
the
Peabody,
and
there
would
be
great
value
in
bringing
attention
not
only
to
the
individual
specimens
but
the
layered
storylines
within.
With
digital
signage,
visitors
can
discover
a
different
drama
each
time
they
visit,
as
they
are
prompted
to
notice
the
bird
distracting
a
predator
from
her
nest
one
day,
and
the
perfectly
camouflaged
butterfly
on
the
tree
trunk
the
next.
Conclusion
With
a