The Dome
Inspired by the ability to bring the cosmic scale of energy down to a level students could touch and feel, team infinitE made a 48″ diameter touch-screen dome.
To bring the dome down the height of middle school students, we used a short throw projector and bounced the image off a mirror.
We then placed infrared LEDs around the interior of the dome and used IR cameras to read the touch input.
This system can be used to enhance the educational experience both through interactive content and planetarium videos.
The Game
We created a game for our dome to teach students about solar energy.
The game takes place on a sphere made out of hexes representing various types of terrain.
Through playing our game, students learn many lessons about solar energy including the importance of the location of solar panels as well as their distance from the location they are providing power to.
Communication and teamwork play important roles in the game as students must work together to provide power to towns and cities.
The App
We created a mobile app to extend the experience of the Energy Lab outside the four walls of the room.
The app encourages students to take ownership over their education in a teacher-moderated environment.
The app leverages team-based competition and gamification to further motivate students to learn and participate.
The app was made in Unity 3D and can easily be extended to accommodate the work of future Energy Lab teams.