The Discovery Center in Murfreesboro opens Human Plus: Real Lives + Real Engineering exhibit

May 24, 2015 at 12:36 am by bryan


When cutting edge science and engineering join forces to assist the human body, the possibilities for improving our day-to-day lives are endless! A special nationwide traveling exhibit, Human Plus: Real Lives + Real Engineering, developed by the New York Hall of Science in partnership with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and the Quality of Life Technology Center with funding from the National Science Foundation, will be open to the public beginning Saturday, May 23, in Murfreesboro Your admittance is included in the general daily admission rate of $6 per person ages 2 and up; family memberships start at $75.

The exhibition offers guests of all ages the chance to explore and create a range of low- and high-tech tools that extend the abilities of the human body. Human Plus: Real Lives + Real Engineering showcases compelling stories from a unique field of engineering that not only help people carry out their day-to-day routines, but also help them realize lifelong dreams.

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Regarding the Human Plus exhibit: "It is no longer a conversation about overcoming deficiency...It's a conversation about potential," said Aimee Mullins, Paralympic champion, actor, model, inspirational speaker and double amputee.

"We are delighted to bring Human Plus to middle Tennessee this summer," said Tara MacDougall, CEO of Discovery Center. "This amazing exhibit coincides with the work we are doing to make Discovery Center fully accessible and welcoming to children and young people with special needs. From our littlest visitors through post-middle-school, this exhibit provides interactive, stimulating and fascinating experiential and interpretive learning-through-play activities. If the visitor rate from the other cities where the exhibit has been is any indication, we're going to have a wonderfully busy summer here."

MacDougall added that the exhibit was at the Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga recently, affording staff the chance to go and see Human Plus "in action" before it arrived in Murfreesboro.

"We believe this is the best traveling exhibit we have ever hosted, and we are so excited about making it available to families and children throughout middle Tennessee, thanks in part to Jennings & Rebecca Jones Foundation, HCA and other generous donors," she added.

Every Body Plays

Throughout the exhibit, guests will be able get their hands on a broad range of actual ability-enhancing tools. Exhibits include a simulated downhill mono-ski course; a disc jockey station built out of a wheelchair and controlled by the wheels; a touch panel that translates music into vibrations guests can feel; a hands-free computer mouse, controlled through slight movements of the head that allows the guest to type messages, edit photos or watch videos; and a neuroprosthetic limb that can be controlled by a person's thoughts. Guests can even re-design themselves in a full body simulation and test body enhancement technologies that supersize their strength, showcasing the new horizon of engineering that was once the stuff of science fiction.

Ask, Imagine, Create

The engineering process always begins by asking the user to identify the goal to be achieved. Likewise, the Human Plus exhibition poses design challenges from real-life users, such as "can you make a tool to help a wheelchair user feed a pet? Or a tool that helps the visually impaired detect hard-to-detect obstacles? How about a canoe that someone can paddle without using arms?" After viewing some of the amazing technology developed by today's engineers, guests will be able to put their own engineering skills to the test as they build and test their own inventions.

Compelling Stories and Videos

From busy moms to engineers, adventurers to dance performers, people who use these new technologies - as well as the innovators themselves - share their stories through videos as well as the real life tools they use every day. Whether a story about caring for three children or reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, these stories captivate listeners.

When You Come

Regular Discovery Center hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $6 for ages 2 and older, and free for members. Memberships begin at $75 for families. Multiple free days are held throughout the year. To learn more and find out about new and upcoming programs and events, call 615.890.2300 or visit explorethedc.org.

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