Develop an Innovative Interactive Smart Material Exhibit for Children's Museum of Houston

本次面向公众的传播研究项目是基于美国国家科学基金会CCLI-EMD，0341143，智能振动平台实验的开发。这个为期24个月的项目是休斯顿大学PI和休斯顿儿童博物馆(CMH)工作人员持续合作的一部分。CMH正在开发一个关于“智能材料”的展览，并有一个包括PI和他的工程学学生在内的分步展览发展计划。该项目的工作是将一种关于磁流变(MR)流体减振效果的设备从本科机械工程环境中的教育应用程序改造为8岁以上的博物馆展览。磁流变液具有非同寻常的性质，即当受到磁场作用时，能够从液态转变为半固态。它们被用于地震多发地区的建筑设计。开发团队由PI和大学高级尖石设计课程的大四学生、大学教育项目评估员以及博物馆的展品和项目工作人员组成。可交付成果包括一个智能材料“减震”展览和一个触摸屏激活的“视频点唱机”单元，用于研究科学家和学生以及磁流变液。CMH儿童委员会也在为展品提供意见。

This Communicating Research to Public Audiences project is based on NSF-CCLI-EMD, 0341143, Development of a Smart Vibration Platform Experiment. The 24-month-long project is part of a continuing collaboration between the PI at the University of Houston and the staff of the Children's Museum of Houston (CMH). CMH is in the process of developing an exhibition on "smart materials," and has a stepwise exhibit development plan that involves the PI and his engineering students. The project work is adapting a device on the vibration dampening effect of magneto-rheological (MR) fluids from an educational application in an undergraduate mechanical engineering environment to a museum exhibit for ages 8+. MR fluids have the unusual property of being able to transform from the liquid state to a semi-solid state when subjected to magnetic fields. They are being used in the design of buildings in earthquake prone areas. The development team consists of the PI and college seniors in their Senior Capstone Design course, an education program evaluator at the University, and exhibits and program staff from the museum. Deliverables include a smart materials "earthquake dampening" exhibit and a touch-screen activated "video jukebox" unit on the research scientists and students and on the MR fluid. The CMH Kids' Committee is providing input on the exhibits as well.