Do you know what a skin cell looks like? Do you know how the immune system works? How do Deafblind people learn about what’s inside our bodies?
At DBV café on 18th of October, Erica Tandori (Monash University) and Stuart Favilla (Swinburne University) brought beautiful tactile 3D models of parts of the immune system, viruses, and other microscopic biological structures, with information in braille and large print to share with us. The information was also presented as audio recordings, with vibrations and sound art that was amplified for people who are hard of hearing.
DBV members really enjoyed feeling the models and talking with each other about what we learned. See below for a video interview with Erica and Stuart (Auslan interpreted with transcript below).
TRANSCRIPT:
Erica Tandori: Hi, I’m Erica from Monash University and this is Stu from Swinburne.
Stu: Swinburne University School of Design.
Erica: We’ve come to Deafblind Cafe today to bring our Monash sensory science exhibition, exploring all things immunity and biomedicine for the Deafblind community.
Interviewer: What do you have there in your hands?
Erica: In my hands I have a dendritic cell, which is a cell of the immune system. Over here we have a couscous-created HIV capsid, which is the inside of an HIV cell. And this is an immune cell or neutrophil.
These are just a few of the things you can come and explore.
Stu: It’s a tactile exhibition but we also have some interaction with computers, audio. We’ve been trying to turn images into sound. “Sonifying” images, it’s called. We also have some data sonification as well today. And lots of really weird music which is inspired by all things inside you: viruses, white blood cells, all sorts of things.
There’s also some speakers here that you can touch – they’re safe to touch. You won’t damage them. They’re from an American swimming pool speaker company.
Erica: They’re really good fun!
Stu: Yes, we’re really excited to have those here today.
Erica: We have interactive science books and we have tactile posters, such as the antibody poster, other immune cells… We’ve got a collection of white blood cells. These are all things that you can touch, and we also have braille and large print formats. [Here is an] amino acid.
Stu: Yeah, braille-inspired protein models. A bit like those sticks and balls you might remember from science school.
Erica: 3D sculptures, protein blobs and virus, psoriasis infected skin cells… Lots of things to explore!
The Deafblind Community – Growing Together project is supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. Go to www.dss.gov.au for more information.
