The interactive Power Distribution exhibit engages visitors in a playful exploration of energy transformations.
Propellers, audio stations, model houses, mirror spheres, quaint model trains, platforms that elevate visitors, and custom-designed kinetic artwork and activity stations are all possible components of the exhibit.
Using simple hand powered cranks, visitors directly generate power and control local or landscape-distributed "stations" by converting mechanical energy to electrical energy. An optional patch panel allows visitors to switch the distribution of energy to stations of their choice.
A special attraction of this exhibit is it's potential to offer a combination of individually-controlled stations and those which involve the interaction or coordinated efforts of two or more people.
Physical principles such as electrical-to-mechanical and mechanical-to-electrical energy transfer, as well as impedance matching (gear train matching to load, series vs. parallel connections of motors, etc.) will all be directly and intuitively experienced by visitors.
Visitors can engage with kinetic "mobiles", bringing them to life in the form of motion, light and sound.
See this simple illustration of a Power Distribution exhibit in space-filling high-tech interactive artwork form.