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    • James Choate James Choate
      19 months ago


      What is going on here? Why does the Confusion Research Center exist and what does it hope to accomplish?
      Confusion Research Center

      • James Choate James Choate
        19 months ago


        This is both an easy and a hard question. The easy part is we hope to have fun by practicing science and technology, and at the same time educating those who want to participate but are not at our level, yet.

        The hard part is, it's an attempt to kick start a hands-on science museum in Austin, TX that is based at least conceptually on the past efforts of Discovery Hall. Several of the projects and efforts that sprang out of Discovery Hall still exist and over the summer we hope to build some momentum and bring them on board. We want to get back into the business of making hands-on science and technology exhibits and projects both for our own consumption and for other organizations, science-technology museums, and educational efforts. We hope to act as a focal point or lightning rod for efforts around the world, not just in the US or Texas. We want to bring resources and contacts to existing and future groups that are focused on science and technology that they would not have access to otherwise.

        At this point we are talking to people locally who we know were involved in Discovery Hall and others who have expressed interest or support for the idea of a new effort.

        We first have to get a basic steering group together to create the core organization and documentation. Then we must build a board of directors and an ancillary board of advisers.
        From there we are going to start looking for a permanent home from which to begin (or renew) our efforts into hands-on science and technology.

        We invite you to watch, participate, or lead as your heart and mind may direct you. We appreciate your efforts and interest at any level. Thank you.
        Confusion Research Center

        • Erik Andersson Erik Andersson
          18 months ago


          Seems like an interesting initiative. As for myself I guess it won't be so much for the actual hands-on museum (since I feel the country isn't anywhere near me), but hopefully there will be items of interest on here too. Beware though that the subject of science museums is difficult to get right, from what I have seen in the area most have been boring history accounts and some simple "experiments section". That doesn't work very well to spur curiosity, but it is still an important if it can be done in a good way. There are too few initiatives that try to increase interest in science and scientific methods etcetera. Especially in the US perhaps, where science is even worked against (indirectly) by the president himself.
          Confusion Research Center

          • James Choate James Choate
            7 days ago


            We're ready to begin opening the initial location in late Jan. to early Feb.

            The points you raise are valid, and I've had some experience from the inside of a science museum. There are a lot of aspects of the traditional museum I have no intention of recreating or otherwise carrying on. Something different needs to happen.

            With regard to funding, there looks to be quite a few opportunities opening up with grants and some other activities. I'm doing some research into what's available and how they work. Hopefully we'll be able to get something useful out of it.
            Confusion Research Center

    • James Choate James Choate
      18 months ago


      Well the way it works is that we get a physical presence here and do local programs, we'll start building exhibits for other museums and purchase by 3rd parties as well, We had a BBS before where we helped students with homework, had a place for amateur scientists to come and get help on their own projects, things like that. I suspect that we'll do the same sort of things but include more distributed efforts as well. For the second RoboFest we did in '92 (I think) we worked with the Seattle Robot Society in a remotely operated robot they had built. For RoboFest 4 we worked with the NASA Lunar Rover lab on a similar project. There are many, many more opportunities because of the internet and the growth of Open Source technologies to build a global community.

      As to getting it right, I agree and I think we can avoid the problem that led to Discovery Hall closing. That was we allowed a couple of individuals with outside agendas (one wanted to advertise her consulting and the other wanted to use it to become mayor) to get on the board. I think we can make suitable selection rules to avoid that in the future.

      As to spurring curiosity, when I say hands-on I mean it.
      Confusion Research Center
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