This past week has not been fun.   Still not feeling one hundred precent but on the mend.  So today I thought I would look for a few sound effects for my project.  At Sounddogs.comI found a couple great English crowd effect at a fair.  This will work nicely for the general background of the exhibition, when the Crystal Palace light is triggered.  I also found an effect for a few people clapping which will trigger when Queen Victoria and her group are lit.  The clapping will be first then a small soundfile of her comments will play.  Her comments will be paraphrased from her diary writings about the Exhibition.  I also found a great recording for the printing press, well two actually; however, I am not sure which to use.  I am going to try to upload them so everyone can have a listen.  Construction on the actual box and image has begun.  Now if I can just figure out the wiring, my project will really take off!!!!, :))))   Back Soon!!!
Well I tried to upload the effects but i cannot seem to place a music file here.  Maybe someone could let me know how to do that or if it can be done, :))0   Thanks!!

Well I have, at last, after careful consideration, :) made my final decision. I am going to create a 180 degree Peepshow.   Now, just incase it is unclear what exactly a Peepshow is, I will provide an explanation.  First this type of Peepshow is mostly likely not what first comes to mind, :)) 

During the 17th century the peepshow was a popular travelling fair attraction.  Showmen carried boxes to village fairs into which various comn=binations of scenery panels were inserted to be viewed in perspective through a hole in front of the box. 
 The background scene will be of the Great Exhibition of 1851.  The focal scene will be a printing press sent to the exhibition by the London News; much like the first picture.  As seen in the the first picture the Peepshow will feature a presenter that informs the visitors.  The scene will incorporate an Ardrino for lighting different aspects of the scene, the presenter and the press.  When the light that illuminates the presenter is activated a sound file is triggered supplying commentary describing the press.  When the light that illuminates the press is activated a sound effect of a press is triggered.  In addition, I am contemplating having a light on the visitors and a sound effect of ohhh’s and aw’s triggered with the light.  There will also be a sound file that provides a general background of the Great Exhibition and the Crystal Palace.

Hello, Hope all is well in your world!!!

My recent thoughts for my final project have taken a bit of a different turn.  I am moving further away from using a book, to creating a single pop-up scene that consists of an historic library or perhaps an historic site such as the Parthenon, a castle  in Scotland, or any other historic site where something of interest happened.  The pop-up would have a guide that, when a light comes on in each room, (using an ardrino). Starts talking through a sound file about the room and supplying facts about the history of the site.  I am thinking that I can make this project colourful, interesting and very interactive, :)

Well I am terrible keeping up with my blogging.  I am not quite used to this yet.  However, to discuss my final project I have a few ideas that I would like to try. 
I am going to stick with my original idea using a book a central to my exhibit.  I am taking a teaching course out of the TSC and we recently read about new teaching techniques that incorporates using digital technology.  I found a few things quite interesting.  Both Augmented reality and Gesture Based Computing speak to what I wish to do with my project.  I realise though that Augmentation is too expensive and not possible.  However, I am told that gesture-based with be a lot easier to work with.  I have been looking at creating a digital pop-up book.  In a sense.  I would like my project to speak to educating children.  I worked in St Catharine's Museum in the education dept. with a focus on elementary children.  As such, I would like my book to make the great libraries and archives interactive and interesting for a younger mind.
I initially thought of creating a hologram that rose from the book when turning to the different chapters that describe a different library or archive. 
I have a picture in my mind of a large stationary book lying flat on a table.  Kids come up to it and turn to a chapter such as the Vatican archive.  The archive appears in a hologram as a signal is sent through an arduino and information is verbally told to the child about the building, historical and if still surviving, contemporary. 
Then through gesture-based computing the child can enter the building and access a document, kid friendly, that has been upload through the computer. The child can then turn the pages through gestures and read along with a voice providing the text.  the hologram will  probably not be a possibility and this is just a work in progress.  I need to do more research concerning a pop-up technical book.   I will keep you posted!!!
I am quite nervous about the technical side of all this, however, quite excited to maybe build something myself!

I have always been an avid reader.  Not only do I appreciate the words on the pages, I also enjoy the pages as a whole, the book.  I am not much of a online reader, reading alot on the computer gives me a headache.  Paper is fated as my favourite medium.  I am one of those people who even likes the smell a book, the older the better.  When visiting an archive I spend a little time just looking over the oldest works. 
As such, my link to the past takes the form of a leather bound, circa 1800's, book.  Its topic concerns the great libraries and archives throughout history.
My story begins when I acquired a box of books from a great uncle who was a little quirky.  As I opened the beautiful dark brown leather cover a note falls on to the floor.  It is of course a note to me from my uncle, with a simple line, "Only you can appreciate this amazing book; turn the pages to go, but home you will be in the contents."
I turned to the contents and saw that each chapter focused on a great library, or archive.  The libraries of ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Middle East are listed.  The archives of the Vatican and monasteries throughout Europe are listed.  Some of the libraries are located in museums such as the British Museum. Libraries, Museums and Archives are listed up through time into the 20th Century.  As I turn the next page it is blank with only two words hand written, in bold letters:

GET READY!

As I turn the page to the first chapter the air around me starts to dissipate and change.  Swirling around my body I am taken back in time to the Alexandria Library.  It is amazing I have the chance to read everything from the past before it is destroyed in its respective library, museum or archive. I am not interactive with those around me, (it all is very complicated but has to do with different planes of existence,) yet I can read everything.  Turning back to the contents takes me back home without a time change while I was gone.   The book only allows me to travel to its contents, not outside the pages.   I have unlimited access to prime sources. A happy historians dream, :)

Hello, :))

I will have more to say later today!.  Class awaits!