Will an 'ambient information display' change peoples behaviour within a building? The 'Clouds' research investigation project in The Open University's Jennie Lee building strives to answer this question. This video takes a look behind-the-scenes of the project, which involves an artistic installation of grey and orange balloons which have been produced in the building to signify the number of people using the lift or taking the stairs. The grey balloons represent the stairs, and the orange balloons, the lift. Strategically placed pressure-pads throughout the building are used to monitor this, with the figures displayed electronically in the building's entrance. The Open University's researcher William R. Hazlewood, talks us through the Clouds project.
Archaeology is about reconstructing the physical past to obtain an understanding of how different civilisations and cultures have evolved over time. In this album, archaeologists from the British Museum explain the scientific processes involved in the discovery, investigation and interpretation of a variety of artefacts, such as skeletons, coins, textiles and metal artefacts unearthed at sites such as the famous Iron Age burial at Sutton Hoo, and Tell es-Sa'idiyeh in Jordan. The album also reveals how amateur archaeologists who use metal detectors contribute to creating a picture of ancient societies. This material forms part of The Open University course SA188 Archaeology: the science of investigation.
Did you know that by surfing the internet you can lose your privacy, your money and even your identity? Computer viruses and Trojans often arise during the investigation of computer-based crime, such as the downloading of child pornography. But what if you are innocent? Often Trojans are cited as the cause in what’s become known in legal circles as "The Trojan Defence". Ian Kennedy whose OU research forms the basis for this programme uncovers some of the artefacts examined and techniques to support or refute claims of innocence. Somehow losing your privacy doesn't seem so bad at all.
The 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River was an engineering mystery and a human tragedy - 46 people died. Why did a suspension bridge built to last a century not make 40 years? Built in 1928, it was a slimmer version of similar bridges built in nearby Pittsburgh. The slimming down was deemed to be safe because of the use of a tougher steel and ‘silver coloured anticorrosion paint’. The tracks in this album look at the factors which led to the catastrophic failure of one of the eyebars which supported the deck, and the subsequent forensic investigation which led to the creation of the National Bridge Inspection Standards to inspect the 1 million bridges of the USA. This material forms part of the course T357, Structural integrity: designing against failure.
The Kinzua rail viaduct, in Pennsylvania, collapsed when it was hit by a tornado in 2003. First built in 1882 and redesigned 1900, it was at one time the highest bridge in the world. The two video tracks in this album tell the story of the Kinzua catastrophe. The subsequent forensic investigation has cast new light on the failure of Tay rail bridge in Scotland 125 years earlier; with 75 people killed, the worst ever disaster to befall a trestle bridge. This material forms part of the course T357, Structural integrity: designing against failure.