Smithsonian
Level was commissioned to design and direct the creative for a unique set of initiatives revolving around a humanoid robot developed by RE2 for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The exhibits were installed in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC.
For both projects for the Smithsonian, Level was asked to help create a narrative for museum visitors that helped them interact with and understand what DARPA is accomplishing in the area of autonomous robotics.
Robots:Partners in Space exhibit
concept, design, content, strategy, animation, front-end development, environmental design
(interactive/back-end development done by Mad Systems; industrial design by Dan Hancock; content strategy in collaboration with Dan Marwit; writing by Dan Marwit.)
Level Design Group was commissioned to design and direct the multimedia exhibit, Robots: Partners in Space, for the Smithsonian and DARPA which features an actual humanoid robot with autonomous capabilities. The exhibit provides a range of opportunities to interact with the robot through multiple large-scale touchscreen interactives and environmental elements we designed.As part of the museum’s “Moving Beyond Earth” gallery, the exhibit is estimated to reach 1.5 million visitors each year.
The exhibit was designed to allow visitors to interact with the robot, while keeping this very expensive piece of technology safe. A faceted glass enclosure protects the robot, and creates a three-part structure that defines the visitors’ experience through the different stages of the exhibit.
Robots:Partners in Space Interactives
concept, design, animation, front-end development
Level designed three large-scale touchscreen interactives that are the main elements of the exhibit. Each touchscreen is located at one of the main “facets” of the exhibit structure and plays a crucial role in the museum visitors experience, and understanding of what DARPA is accomplishing.
“Meet The Team” introduces museum visitors to all of the people who have worked on the development of the robot. An interactive timeline, “The Human-Robot Partnership,” allows visitors to explore the history of robots, both real and in pop culture.” In “The Interactive Robot,” visitors learn the difference between autonomous and teleoperated robots, and allows them to actually interact with a humanoid robot
Spark Lab / National Robotics Week
concept, design, illustration, fabrication management, environmental graphics, promotional materials,
As part of National Robotics Week held at Spark Lab in NMAH Lemelson Center, Level designed and developed environmental graphics and collateral to represent the robot “Robby.” Based on Spark Lab’s mission to provide opportunities for children and families to explore creativity and inventions, we developed graphics based on illustration and a more kid-friendly visual language.
Large-scale imagery based on the robot, and the simple “parts” that such a complex machine is actually made up of made the robot more accessible to Spark Lab’s target audience.