Experience Flow and Control Electronics
Background
We are making the participants refuel a dead nuclear engine. We are making them handle dying and charged nuclear fuel rods. We want to give them an experience which will stay with them for long.
Participants get multisensory input in auditory, visual and haptic forms. The fuel rod is a physical object that every participant gets a chance to interact with. It is central to the overall experience. The visual and haptic feedback given by it results in the “Wow!” experience.
The Idea
Our idea is to have fuel rods that are sets of four cylindrical chambers each. The chambers glow brightly or flicker dimly to indicate the state as “charged” or “dying”. The fuel rods can be inserted on the “engine” or the “recharge station”. Shown below are the sketch models for the fuel rod and engine panel working together.
Douglas made an awesome looks-like model of the fuel rod (below). The four chambers are enclosed in a metallic protective cover.
For more detail: Concept Refinement – Space engine re-fuel