emerging technologies for museums
DESCRIPTION
An examination of the emerging technologies that are expected to have a large impact in the museum world during the coming five years. Looking at the 2010 and 2011 Museum Edition of the Horizon Report. I give insights into which of these technologies I think are best suited to Arkansas museums given key trends and significant challenges.TRANSCRIPT
Emerging Technologies for Museums
Heather Marie Wells Education Technology Coordinator
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Agenda
• Who and what
• Key trends
• Significant challenges
• The technologies
The New Media Consortium
• International community of experts
• Colleges, universities, museums, research centers, etc.
• Mission: to help members stay at the leading edge of technology
• Research, publications, conferences, and workshops
MIDEA• Edward and Betty Marcus
Institute for Digital Education in the Arts, founded in 2009
• Meets the needs of art museums, university arts and museum education programs
• Severs museum professionals through research, training, and resources regarding the application of technology in interpretation and education
Horizon Report
Key Trends• It's expected.
• Rich media is a valuable.
• Abundance is challenging.
• Visitors want an active role.
• Desire of access to collections data.
• Expectations of civic/social engagement.
Significant Challenges
• Content production is not keeping up with technology & expectations.
• Need for comprehensive digital strategy.
• Funding not included in operational budgets.
• Decision makers not recognize the importance of technology.
Significant Challenges
• Lack of technical infrastructure & trained staff.
• Understanding the intended audience.
• How to evaluate impact of technology.
“The future is already here – its just not very evenly distributed.”
- William Gibson (Sci-fi/Technology author)
The Technologies
0 - 1 years 2 - 3 years 4 - 5 years
2010 Social Media Mobiles
Augmented Reality Location-based
Services
Gesture Computing
Semantic Web
2011 Mobile Apps Tablets
Augmented Reality E-Publishing
Digital Preservation
Smart Objects
Rele
vanc
e
0
2
4
6
8
10
Accessibility
2 4 6 8 10
Augmented RealityGesture UISemantic WebDigital PreservationE-PublishingSmart ObjectsLocation ServicesMobile & TabletsSocial Media
Semantic Web• Allow meaning to be inferred
from content & context and structured in a meaningful way
• Conceptualized in the 1960s
• Create a reconnection of context
• Examples: tagging for blogs and images, "smart" ads
Digital Preservation
• Preserving the ability to access data
• Library of Alexandria
• Remaining accessible in the future
• DigitalPreservation.gov by Library of Congress, the Digital Preservation Coalition
Gesture-based Computing• Nintendo Wii (2006), iPhone
(2007), Microsoft Kinect (2010), PlayStation Move (2010)
• Original basic research done in the early 1960s. PDAs in the early 1990s. Plug-ins for browsers in the late 1990s.
• Simulated interaction with objects
• The Create a Chemical Reaction table at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago
Smart Objects• Often non-intrusive, small object
requiring no batteries, capable of holding versatile data
• RFID explored in research papers in the 1940s, first true device patented in 1973; QR codes came in the 1990s
• Endless possibilities for anytime you want to share or exchange data
• Old Independence Regional Museum, Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, Crystal Bridges
Augmented Reality • Blending data with what we see
in the real world.
• Roots in the 1960s and by the 1990s very popular for visualization, training, etc.
• Way to provide additional content, bring the past back to life, interact with objects you usually can't touch
• Nelson-Atkins & Beyond Planet Earth by American Natural History Museum
Location-based Services
• Content customized to user's location
• GPS commercially available in the 80s, but took off in 2000 when the military opened the accuracy
• Extend physical reach, connect people, advertising/marketing
• Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources, and American Museum of Natural History
E-Publishing• Publishing in digital formats
• Project Gutenburg started in 1971, CD- ROMs in the 1980s, and the .epub format in 2007.
• Repurpose existing content, inexpensive, various distribution outlets
• Crystal Bridges
Social Media• Engaging groups of people to
interact with each other and with, about, and through media
• Does anyone remember listservs and discussion forms?
• Inexpensive, not time consuming, and used for a variety of aspects
• Shiloh Museum of Ozark, Museum of Discovery, and Clinton Library
Mobiles and Apps• Connected to the
Internet
• Cellphones became commercial in the 1980s
• In the pocket of every user
• Old State House, AAM, University of Virginia Art Museum
Tablets• Less disruptive and bigger
screen
• Portable laptop systems came in 1980s, but concept came about in 1960s
• Connected or not, good for group work
• Crystal Bridges, MoMA AB EX NY, Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The Technologies
0 - 1 years 2 - 3 years 4 - 5 years
2010 Social Media Mobiles
Augmented Reality Location-based
Services
Gesture Computing
Semantic Web
2011 Mobile Apps Tablets
Augmented Reality E-Publishing
Digital Preservation
Smart Objects
Take Aways• Make your content portable
• Start simple
• Start with something inexpensive
• Don't try to do everything
• Consider partnerships and third parties
Thank You for ComingHeather Marie Wells
Education Technology Coordinator Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art [email protected]
Image Credits
• Johnson, L., Witchey, H., Smith, R., Levine, A., and Haywood, K., (2010). The 2010 Horizon Report: Museum Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Cover photograph by Mike Baird. Creative Commons Attribution License.
• Johnson, L., Witchey, H., and Adams, S., (2011). The NMC Horizon Report: 2011 Museum Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Cover photograph © wxin/123RF. Creative Commons.
• William Gibson photograph by Gonzo Bonzo, March 2008.
• Semantic web photograph by Opte Project, November 2003. www.opte.org
• The Course of Empire Destruction from Wikimedia Commons.
• "John Underkoffler points to the future of UI," TEDTalk, February 2010. Full talk available at TED.com
• Augmented Reality at Museu de Mataro by Kippelboy, April 2012