Distortions and Folds: An Interactive Experience

Our project aims to create an engaging, interactive application designed for exhibition, museum, or trade fair settings. The primary focus is to make complex geological concepts, particularly distortions and folds in the Earth’s layers, comprehensible and tangible to a wide audience.

Key Objectives

1. Visualize underground shifts
2. Explain geological processes through familiar examples
3. Create simple, effective visual representations
4. Engage users through sound and vibration

Main Concept

The core idea of our project is to allow users to experience changes in the Earth’s layers in real-time through the innovative use of sound and vibration. This approach provides a unique, multisensory learning experience that makes abstract geological concepts more accessible and memorable.

1. Interactive Visualization: A dynamic display showing the formation and movement of geological folds and distortions.
2. Vibration Feedback: Users can feel simulated underground movements through haptic technology, providing a tangible connection to geological processes.
3. Sound Design: Plate movement sound represent geological activity, enhancing the immersive experience.
4. Comparative Examples: The application draws parallels between large-scale geological phenomena (e.g., San-Andreas-Fault) and the visualized processes, helping users relate to familiar concepts.
5. Simplified Visual Representations: Complex geological data is translated into easy-to-understand graphics and animations, ensuring accessibility for all age groups.

Model Construction

Our project features a physical model that complements the interactive digital experience.
Here’s a summary of the model’s construction process:

1. Material Selection: The model is constructed from precisely cut wooden beams, chosen for their ability to represent the weight and texture of tectonic plates effectively.

2. Technology Integration: Openings were made in wooden plates 0 and 1 to accommodate the integration of interactive technology.

3. Finishing Process:
• Each wooden beam was painted with white wood lacquer.
• A black line was drawn along the horizontal axis of the model to demarcate the different layers of the plates.
• Wooden arrows were painted with orange acrylic paint to match on-screen elements.
Interior surfaces were painted black for contrast.

This physical model serves as a tangible representation of the geological concepts explored in our interactive application. It provides users with a visual and tactile reference, enhancing their understanding of Earth’s structural layers and tectonic movements.
The combination of the digital interface and this carefully crafted physical model creates a comprehensive, multi-sensory learning experience, making complex geological processes more accessible and engaging for our audience.

All in all
Our project represents an exciting blend of technology and education, bringing the hidden world of geology to life in an accessible and engaging manner.