The Magus Guide

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The Magus Guide
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Hypertag technology for museums and galleries
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Introduction

• Recent trial done with the Fitzwilliam Museum,
  Cambridge
• Visitors use Handheld computers to Point - and -
  Click at Tags beside objects to call up text,
  audio, images and video
• Transforms galleries into interactive, multimedia
  experiences, with strong educational
  possibilities
• Overcoming the problems
• How do we make new technology accessible for all?
• How can visitors be connected with the wealth of
  information out there?
• Todays presentation Background, demo,
  Fitzwilliam museum project video.

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Hypertag background

• Hypertag has several applications, Magus Guide is
  the product designed for Museums and Galleries
• Projects
• March 2002 St Johns College, Cambridge. Tag
  to Tag tourist trail. Trium Mondo phones used
• July / August 2002 Fitzwilliam Museum,
  Cambridge. Tags beside paintings and objects.
  iPAQs used to access text, commentary images

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Demonstration
Visitor Points and Clicks at Tag

• Compaq iPAQ connected to the Internet (via
  Bluetooth to GPRS mobile phone)
• Typical installation would use Wireless LAN
  instead
• Infrared Tag used here. Bluetooth Tags also
  developed

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Benefits

• Very easy to use, takes seconds for Visitors to
  learn
• Full control of content link to internal or
  external web pages
• Brings exhibits to life e.g. with audio and video
  and interactivity
• Bookmarks collected for later reference sent by
  email
• Language and level of detail selection
• Tracks usage, can estimate dwell time
• Tags small, battery powered and discreet
• Extremely flexible system, easy to manage 1 to
  1000s of Tags
• In future visitors will bring their own handsets
  (mobile phones), reducing capital costs

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Key points from Fitzwilliam trial

• 600 visitors trialled system and completed
  questionnaires, 78 found it very or
  moderately easy to use
• Those in the 16 - 19, 20 - 24 and 25 - 34 age
  groups preferred Magus Guide to the Acoustiguide
  Wand
• User Interface will be simplified, to increase
  usability for all age groups (eliminate stylus,
  bigger buttons, etc)
• Other issues fiddly stylus, lack of carry-strap,
  needs better headphones.all fixable

• Overall visitors very enthusiastic
• Could read text at own pace, review it
• Liked zipping around to related information and
  objects
• Flexibility sound or text, having pictures,
  and so on

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Next

• Seeking partner institutions for commercial
  installations
• Financial support available for this type of
  technology
• Culture Online initiative
• NESTA Education grants
• ReDiscover fund (Wellcome Trust)

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Thank you for listening
Nick Hardy, Hypertag Limited nick.hardy_at_hypertag.c
om www.hypertag.com 07812 189493