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A blog made up of one-off entries from different members of GetSET Women, our online environment for women at all career stages in science, engineering,
technology and the built environment.
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Lynsey Robinson - Working for the Sensory Trust
I work for the Sensory Trust. We help make outdoor environments accessible to all, regardless of age, social
status, disability or other factors. We specialise in inclusive design and we
work with parks and outdoor spaces across the UK – doing project work, running
training and organising conferences and events.We work with lots of organisations and partners. Some examples:
- We helped Sheffield Parks Woodlands and Countryside develop a process of improving access across their 700 sites.
For Capital Woodlands, a three-year London Biodiversity Partnership project managed by Trees for Cities, we ran access, biodiversity, community and training work across the city.
With LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), we are launching a flagship project to connect disengaged groups and individuals with nature and the countryside, through food and farming (part of Natural England's Access to Nature programme).
Our office is based at the Eden Project's nurseries in Cornwall. It’s surrounded by greenery and glasshouses. You see
rabbits and pheasants when you look out the window! We help the Eden Project review
its site facilities. Sometimes we bring in special interest groups to assess the
user experience. For instance, we
link up with Disability Cornwall and the Cornwall Blind Association. Their members then give feedback on the whole sensory experience of the site.
We involve all key staff: design, horticulture, education, marketing, management
and so on. I also help the Eden Project with the access components of their funding
bids.
link up with Disability Cornwall and the Cornwall Blind Association. Their members then give feedback on the whole sensory experience of the site.
We involve all key staff: design, horticulture, education, marketing, management
and so on. I also help the Eden Project with the access components of their funding
bids.Our work is quite technology-based. Some of it is to do with facilities like
loos and staircases and door handles. Some of it is around communication: pre-visit
information is important for people with access issues, as well as how things
are communicated on site through signage, audio tours and so on. A lot of our
work is with outdoor sites, though the Eden Project has a beautiful education
building we’ve helped with, and we’ve also run training for architects and contractors
UK-wide.
I went to Falmouth University where I studied 3D Design for Sustainabilty. We looked at environmental sustainability – the life cycle of materials, their
physical and chemical properties, design for dismantling and recycling. I got
work experience with the Eden Project, and that’s when I got interested in exhibition
design and the whole social side of sustainability. I met Jane Stoneham, Director of the Sensory Trust, and that led on to working here.
Its fantastic when you see what a difference good design can make. The Eden Project
does wonderful outdoor concerts, and we’ve looked for how to help deaf people
enjoy the events. We’ve found that someone profoundly deaf can hold a balloon
and feel the vibration of the music – it happened to a friend of mine, who recognised
the song. So I want to end with a question – are there other ways we can help
people with hearing problems to enjoy music and sound? Your cheap and cheerful
solutions would be much appreciated!Lynsey Robinson is Inclusive Design Officer for the Sensory Trust, based in Cornwall.
Comments:
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator)
Hi Lynsey,
Its very interesting to hear about your work, and the ways you ensure that parks and outdoor environmental projects are accessible to all. Many of the women we work with are involved in communicating science-related issues to the wider public, at least from time to time, and I see strong links between your work and theirs.
I hope some readers will have ideas about your balloon question - what other initiatives have brought you particular satisfaction?
Its very interesting to hear about your work, and the ways you ensure that parks and outdoor environmental projects are accessible to all. Many of the women we work with are involved in communicating science-related issues to the wider public, at least from time to time, and I see strong links between your work and theirs.
I hope some readers will have ideas about your balloon question - what other initiatives have brought you particular satisfaction?
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator)
A quick second question! This weekend I went to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where there is an exhibition by sculptor Peter Randall--Page http://www.ysp.co.uk/view.aspx?id=658.
I discovered that he was involved in the design of the Eden Project and its new Education Centre. Science and maths (eg organic shapes, symmetry) are important features of his work. Can you say any more about his role at the Eden Project (I've never visited, sadly. Its on my list of things to do)?
(He uses the Fibonacci sequence a lot - I found these two short videos that explain this for non-mathematicians: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7179950432887640376;
http://www.trilulilu.ro/alonewolf/121aa8d09ea7a0?video_google_com=)
I discovered that he was involved in the design of the Eden Project and its new Education Centre. Science and maths (eg organic shapes, symmetry) are important features of his work. Can you say any more about his role at the Eden Project (I've never visited, sadly. Its on my list of things to do)?
(He uses the Fibonacci sequence a lot - I found these two short videos that explain this for non-mathematicians: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7179950432887640376;
http://www.trilulilu.ro/alonewolf/121aa8d09ea7a0?video_google_com=)
Lynsey
This is very exciting! Thank you to UK Get SET Woman for asking me to take part in this.
Job satisfaction comes in many ways for me, largely it is when we see the results of our work making a real difference to the people who need it, but especially when no one apart from us that know would have any idea that something special has been done. This can be as simple as someone being able to read information as it has been done in good clear print but designed in a way that is still very attractive to people being able to share an experience all together rather than having to use a different path or route of access.
We have just come to the end of another fantastic year of concerts at Eden and it was great to see the changes we have made working seemlessly. I spent some time with a friend of mine who comes with his assistance dog and he was reminding me of the things Eden does that you would not find in other places, it is often the detail that makes the overall experience work. The training we had run also gave the staff a real confidence enabling them to deliver a first class service.
Peter Randall-Page
Yes he created the Seed for Eden which is a beautiful sculpture. It sits in the middle of the Core, which is Eden\'s educational building. Weighing a mere 7 tonnes it is a very impressive piece.
From the Eden website -
The Core is as much a piece of artwork as it is a building and as much an expression of the botanical form as it is a space in which to tell the story of plants. The design for The Core was a unique collaboration between artist and architect – perhaps the first time that an artist has informed the design process to such an extent on a building of this scale. In March 2003, the internationally-renowned sculptor Peter Randall-Page was appointed as artist in residence to work with architect Jolyon Brewis, of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, on the design for the education centre and the appropriate integration of artwork into it. The visionary idea for the collaboration came from Eden’s Chief Executive Tim Smit and Creative Director Peter Hampel. The result is a building inspired by the geometry which defines plant growth. At its centre it has a monumental seed-shaped sculpture based on these same natural patterns.
What is really lovely is watching people walk round the seed, the space it is in is also an anechoic chamber. People start to make noises and sometimes even discover that it can be a whispering gallery. The seed itself is starting to show where people rub their hands along it getting that slightly smoother look. It can be a very contemplative space as well as a great place to make lots of noise!
Job satisfaction comes in many ways for me, largely it is when we see the results of our work making a real difference to the people who need it, but especially when no one apart from us that know would have any idea that something special has been done. This can be as simple as someone being able to read information as it has been done in good clear print but designed in a way that is still very attractive to people being able to share an experience all together rather than having to use a different path or route of access.
We have just come to the end of another fantastic year of concerts at Eden and it was great to see the changes we have made working seemlessly. I spent some time with a friend of mine who comes with his assistance dog and he was reminding me of the things Eden does that you would not find in other places, it is often the detail that makes the overall experience work. The training we had run also gave the staff a real confidence enabling them to deliver a first class service.
Peter Randall-Page
Yes he created the Seed for Eden which is a beautiful sculpture. It sits in the middle of the Core, which is Eden\'s educational building. Weighing a mere 7 tonnes it is a very impressive piece.
From the Eden website -
The Core is as much a piece of artwork as it is a building and as much an expression of the botanical form as it is a space in which to tell the story of plants. The design for The Core was a unique collaboration between artist and architect – perhaps the first time that an artist has informed the design process to such an extent on a building of this scale. In March 2003, the internationally-renowned sculptor Peter Randall-Page was appointed as artist in residence to work with architect Jolyon Brewis, of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, on the design for the education centre and the appropriate integration of artwork into it. The visionary idea for the collaboration came from Eden’s Chief Executive Tim Smit and Creative Director Peter Hampel. The result is a building inspired by the geometry which defines plant growth. At its centre it has a monumental seed-shaped sculpture based on these same natural patterns.
What is really lovely is watching people walk round the seed, the space it is in is also an anechoic chamber. People start to make noises and sometimes even discover that it can be a whispering gallery. The seed itself is starting to show where people rub their hands along it getting that slightly smoother look. It can be a very contemplative space as well as a great place to make lots of noise!
Trevor Cox
We have just formed a new network about public engagement in acoustics. I have posted the balloon question to see if anyone has some ideas.
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator)
Thanks Trevor, that's great. I posted it on Nature Network as well:
http://network.nature.com/groups/women_in_science/forum/topics/5133
http://network.nature.com/groups/women_in_science/forum/topics/5133
Kate Ho
Hey Lynsey
Working in the Eden Project must be very exciting!
I was wondering whether you had any tips for putting together a design portfolio? e.g. samples of work to show to potential clients/employers/etc?
Kate
Working in the Eden Project must be very exciting!
I was wondering whether you had any tips for putting together a design portfolio? e.g. samples of work to show to potential clients/employers/etc?
Kate
Kaye Heyes
Thank-you for your interesting post, Lynsey.
Through the UKRC\'s RETURN project, I worked with women looking to return to their careers. I found that work placements were a really good way of both meeting people who could help you get back to work and gaining skills and confidence in a safe but professional environment. I\'d be really interested to hear about your own work placement experience and in particular how it helped you get your role as Inclusive Design Office at the Sensory Trust.
Through the UKRC\'s RETURN project, I worked with women looking to return to their careers. I found that work placements were a really good way of both meeting people who could help you get back to work and gaining skills and confidence in a safe but professional environment. I\'d be really interested to hear about your own work placement experience and in particular how it helped you get your role as Inclusive Design Office at the Sensory Trust.
Lynsey
Morning everyone,
Thank you for your comments. Big thank you Trevor for putting the balloon question out, I am really intrigued to find out other ways for people to feel the music, it is an amazing feeling. If you have never tried it blow up a balloon and get near a speaker!
Kate - Getting together a portfolio is an excellent idea, I would suggest making it as broad as possible to reflect all aspects of work you are interested in. I have always tried to get a bit of my personality into my portfolio, even including things I have thought about or consider important even if they have not directly been worked on.
In more practical terms, making it clear and easy to understand, following accessible information guidelines may really help with this!
Kaye - Your work sounds really interesting. Work placements are great if you can get them. It can be demanding on an employer to involve people but it is always worth approaching them to see if you can offer something of value. I would suggest finding out as much as you can about them and how you can fit in with them and offer them something useful.
I was fortunate to have met with people through local design events that lead to my work placement at Eden. This was something really worth the time, any networking events in the area of your work are well worth attending to get to know what is available and who is involved. During my work placement as I mentioned I got to meet Jane Stoneham, this is a prime example of not knowing that certain jobs exist but being really interested in the work. This is another reason for getting to know as much as possible, many jobs would not fall into the typical roles we are aware of, I mean has anyone ever heard of an Inclusive Designer? I hadn't before I met the Sensory Trust.
There is also an element of bravery, you have to get out there and go for it, if it doesn't work out you can try something else, the nice thing about a placement is it gives you the chance to find out if you like the work as well as the employer getting to know you.
Hope that gives you some food for thought, really enjoying your questions, thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Big thank you Trevor for putting the balloon question out, I am really intrigued to find out other ways for people to feel the music, it is an amazing feeling. If you have never tried it blow up a balloon and get near a speaker!
Kate - Getting together a portfolio is an excellent idea, I would suggest making it as broad as possible to reflect all aspects of work you are interested in. I have always tried to get a bit of my personality into my portfolio, even including things I have thought about or consider important even if they have not directly been worked on.
In more practical terms, making it clear and easy to understand, following accessible information guidelines may really help with this!
Kaye - Your work sounds really interesting. Work placements are great if you can get them. It can be demanding on an employer to involve people but it is always worth approaching them to see if you can offer something of value. I would suggest finding out as much as you can about them and how you can fit in with them and offer them something useful.
I was fortunate to have met with people through local design events that lead to my work placement at Eden. This was something really worth the time, any networking events in the area of your work are well worth attending to get to know what is available and who is involved. During my work placement as I mentioned I got to meet Jane Stoneham, this is a prime example of not knowing that certain jobs exist but being really interested in the work. This is another reason for getting to know as much as possible, many jobs would not fall into the typical roles we are aware of, I mean has anyone ever heard of an Inclusive Designer? I hadn't before I met the Sensory Trust.
There is also an element of bravery, you have to get out there and go for it, if it doesn't work out you can try something else, the nice thing about a placement is it gives you the chance to find out if you like the work as well as the employer getting to know you.
Hope that gives you some food for thought, really enjoying your questions, thank you.
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator)
Hi Lynsey and Trevor,
About the balloon... I've been wondering you could create something larger scale (but cheap???) eg a taught fabric or spider web or container that would catch and transmit the vibrations to multiple people holding part of it.
That got me thinking about rendering sound visible, not just touchable. I know computers do that, but maybe a sculpture that moves in response to vibration?
About the balloon... I've been wondering you could create something larger scale (but cheap???) eg a taught fabric or spider web or container that would catch and transmit the vibrations to multiple people holding part of it.
That got me thinking about rendering sound visible, not just touchable. I know computers do that, but maybe a sculpture that moves in response to vibration?
Vicky
Computer programs such as real player already can show either the loudness of the music of a depiction of it in images. If you has screens with one or both of thos you could viaually represent the music. It would not work for blind people though, but it does seem a shame to not make it better for blind people even if it will not help plind and deaf people. I am sure those people would want others to have this benefit, and it would be a step forward. If you used the vibration idea for thos ewho were blind as well then you would maybe have improved things for all. Speakers obviously vibrate. If you had wireless 'speakers' ie wireless controlled moving devices that pick up the signal of fvibration from the actual speakers they could be small enough to be hand help and people dotted around the concert could have one each (or one in each hand for stereo).
Emma
I guess you already thought of this but you can get portable induction loops which are generally used in classrooms that don't have an inbuilt system. They're not
expensive but don't have a very good range so the listener would have
to sit /stand close to the orchestra / stage. Have no info as to how well they work outdoors.
expensive but don't have a very good range so the listener would have
to sit /stand close to the orchestra / stage. Have no info as to how well they work outdoors.
Rachel
Are there other ways we can help people with hearing problems to enjoy music and sound?
Obviously choosing the venue is critical. Some places naturally transmit noise through the ground or the structure. This adds to the experience for the hearing as well as hearing impaired. A cheaper way of doing this is to hire an extra speaker or two and place it touching seating or broadcasting into the floor creating an area of sound vibration.
I like the visualisation suggestions above although it detracts somewhat from the other visual focii.
Obviously choosing the venue is critical. Some places naturally transmit noise through the ground or the structure. This adds to the experience for the hearing as well as hearing impaired. A cheaper way of doing this is to hire an extra speaker or two and place it touching seating or broadcasting into the floor creating an area of sound vibration.
I like the visualisation suggestions above although it detracts somewhat from the other visual focii.
Lynsey
Wow thanks for all your thoughts! I like the idea of having something that lots of people could be enjoying together. And the idea of areas you can stand/sit on to get the vibrations. That does happen a bit with the wheelchair viewing platform we have at Eden as it is constructed from scaffold and wooden planks which carry the vibration really well, but it could be even better with a bit more thought.
For live gigs I am not so bothered about the visual side as you can see the music being created in front of you by the band, but for DJ sets this would be good to investigate.
There is something really powerful about feeling music, when you stand near to a speaker and you can feel the bass vibrate your chest, you feel part of it. That is the sort of connection that would be great to achieve.
Has anyone ever had anything to do with bone conduction pillows? I can find some information on them made by Toshiba but they don't seem to sell them. The pillow conducts music through your skull rather than your ears, crazy! I would be interested to see if this sort of technology would work for people with hearing impairments too. If so you could put the technology into leaning posts or seat backs for gigs and events. I would love to get my hands on one to try it out.
There is also mention on some websites about a bone fone (mispelled on purpose) that used the same technology apparently back in the 80's. Again if anyone has ever come across them I would love to hear about it.
On the visual side, I once visited a place and was shown sand moving to music, it was on a metal plate and they played a violin type bow on to the side of it and the sand moved in strange and beautiful patterns. Can't remember enough about it but it really blew me away at the time.
Thanks everyone.
For live gigs I am not so bothered about the visual side as you can see the music being created in front of you by the band, but for DJ sets this would be good to investigate.
There is something really powerful about feeling music, when you stand near to a speaker and you can feel the bass vibrate your chest, you feel part of it. That is the sort of connection that would be great to achieve.
Has anyone ever had anything to do with bone conduction pillows? I can find some information on them made by Toshiba but they don't seem to sell them. The pillow conducts music through your skull rather than your ears, crazy! I would be interested to see if this sort of technology would work for people with hearing impairments too. If so you could put the technology into leaning posts or seat backs for gigs and events. I would love to get my hands on one to try it out.
There is also mention on some websites about a bone fone (mispelled on purpose) that used the same technology apparently back in the 80's. Again if anyone has ever come across them I would love to hear about it.
On the visual side, I once visited a place and was shown sand moving to music, it was on a metal plate and they played a violin type bow on to the side of it and the sand moved in strange and beautiful patterns. Can't remember enough about it but it really blew me away at the time.
Thanks everyone.
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator)
Matt Brown has also posted a question about this at Nature Network - thanks Matt! http://network.nature.com/hubs/london/blog/2009/07/31/how-can-we-help-deaf-people-enjoy-music
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator)
OK - this is a bit mad - but I took my son to Slimbridge this weekend and of course along with enjoying the site of so many different species of bird, we enjoyed the sounds they made as well.
I wonder if you could have some device that you could point at a creature (or whatever) and it would tell you if it was making a noise, and what that noise sounded like. It might explain the mechanics of how/why a given sound is produced - when you see a songbird singing, sometimes its hard to tell where the sound comes from, but you know its a particular bird if you can see its chest moving. This device could be for hearing people too - it would explain the mechanics of sound production and its rationale for any viewer...
We went on a bat walk recently, and had a hand held sonar device, that enabled you to pick up bat sound and location and identify bat type. Something like that.
Slimbridge: www.wwt.org.uk/centre/122/visit/slimbridge.html
To find a bat walk: www.bats.org.uk/bat_group.php
I wonder if you could have some device that you could point at a creature (or whatever) and it would tell you if it was making a noise, and what that noise sounded like. It might explain the mechanics of how/why a given sound is produced - when you see a songbird singing, sometimes its hard to tell where the sound comes from, but you know its a particular bird if you can see its chest moving. This device could be for hearing people too - it would explain the mechanics of sound production and its rationale for any viewer...
We went on a bat walk recently, and had a hand held sonar device, that enabled you to pick up bat sound and location and identify bat type. Something like that.
Slimbridge: www.wwt.org.uk/centre/122/visit/slimbridge.html
To find a bat walk: www.bats.org.uk/bat_group.php
Lynsey
Detecting sounds in nature is an interesting one. We often take people on silent walks asking them not to make noise as they walk and see how it changes the way they are aware of their surroundings. Many people hear much more than they typically would and it has a very positive effect on calming people especially those lively children! Something that highlighted vibrations for hearing impaired people would be great, I would like to see a sonar detector although does that reduce it to purely visual again? That is fine on one level but again if you could feel it that would be very exciting.
Any devices that can get people better connected with nature get my vote! Everything we do is interpreted through our senses and the more ways in which we use them the more holistic the experience becomes. If you do not have one of your senses the others do not get stronger but you may begin to use them in a different way, echo location for example so people with visual impairments can tell how big the space is that they are in.
If this sort of thing is interesting to you, getting out and having a good experience in the outdoors keep an eye on our website www.sensorytrust.org.uk where we have regular project updates and details about events we are running and general interesting stuff!
We have a really exciting conference coming up in September called Sense of Place, this year the theme is sustainable place making, it would be great to have as many people in the room as possible, we hope to get a real range of professions as the conversations that will be taking place will be critical for our future and it is imperative that a whole range of people have there say. So if you have something to contribute to tomorrow then please come and join us!
http://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/SoP2009/index.htm
Thanks, Lynsey
Any devices that can get people better connected with nature get my vote! Everything we do is interpreted through our senses and the more ways in which we use them the more holistic the experience becomes. If you do not have one of your senses the others do not get stronger but you may begin to use them in a different way, echo location for example so people with visual impairments can tell how big the space is that they are in.
If this sort of thing is interesting to you, getting out and having a good experience in the outdoors keep an eye on our website www.sensorytrust.org.uk where we have regular project updates and details about events we are running and general interesting stuff!
We have a really exciting conference coming up in September called Sense of Place, this year the theme is sustainable place making, it would be great to have as many people in the room as possible, we hope to get a real range of professions as the conversations that will be taking place will be critical for our future and it is imperative that a whole range of people have there say. So if you have something to contribute to tomorrow then please come and join us!
http://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/SoP2009/index.htm
Thanks, Lynsey
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator)
Thanks Lynsey, how interesting! We will market your event through the GetSET Women network.
By the way - our new improved GetSET Women website is now in place, and it looks great - much easier to join and search. I hope anyone not yet a member signs up - its free and doesn't take long and you get the benefits of newsletters, info about new opportunities, concessionary rates for things, and generally being linked in:
http://www.getsetwomen.org
By the way - our new improved GetSET Women website is now in place, and it looks great - much easier to join and search. I hope anyone not yet a member signs up - its free and doesn't take long and you get the benefits of newsletters, info about new opportunities, concessionary rates for things, and generally being linked in:
http://www.getsetwomen.org
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