🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1994Aug2.042128.13260@xyzoom.info.com> rob@xyzoom.info.com
(Rob Lingelbach) writes:
>I read somewhere that there exists in San Francisco a place called the
>"Exploratorium" and that it has a series of dark "rooms" connected
>with tunnels, or somesuch places, where you can navigate by touch
>only.  I'd like to know: does it indeed exist, and is it as
>interesting as it sounds?

You are talking about what's called the Tactile Dome.

It's okay.
After I first moved up here, I rented it for a group of friends (it was a cold
rainy night and we went to dinner afterwards).  You can go through it in less
than 5 minutes, but that's not the point. F. F. Capola's brother August,
an artist, made it.  It's completely monitored for people who might injure
themselves or have fear of the dark (IR cameras).  You should contact them
for details.  They are in the phone book.  The TD was closed the last time
I went by, it has maintenance requirements for one of its last features
(we won't tell).  You can bump heads with other people.  That's a risk you
take.

Since you can't take pictures, I figured out that a small hand held tape
recorder is the only way to capture the experience.  It's fun.

The Exploratorium is on the net.  We used to hold Bay Area SIGGRAPH meetings
there.  Great place to hold meetings.  I think the rest of the Exploratorium
is far more interesting, but note that most of the exhibits require two
people to have the most fun.  PBS did a Nova about them.  It was created
by Dr. Frank Oppenheimer.  I'm supposed to give a presentation this
Fall on one of their Wednesday evenings.  I purchased my Reference book
below there.  It was the only place in the Bay Area to have it.

I'm trying to think of my favorite exhibit....  Virtual images,
stereo stuff (light), IR goggles, blowing soap bubbles down on to dry ice,
hard to say.  I go climbing with their chief scientist who's off in Sweden
at the moment.

Gee, I can't think what's the best group to follow this up.....

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov
  Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers
  {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene
My 3rd favorite use of a flame thrower is "Fahrenheit 451."
A Ref: Uncommon Sense, Alan Cromer, Oxford Univ. Press, 1993.