Creative Tech Week

The why, what and how to build a collaborative, engaging and educational interactive experience for a 20' x 5' touch surface. Not just art, design and technology but architecting software that is reliable, scalable, maintainable, remote controllable and usable by hundreds of people a day. Yes, reality can be a mouthful. The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County's recently opened Waste to Energy Facility is the most energy efficient and environmentally conscious waste facility in the USA. As part of this watershed project, Potion created an interactive experience that educates the public about SWA's environmentally responsible operations and imparts their message of reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink (their "4 Rs"). The Solid Waste Authority possesses a unique understanding of the disposal habits of its residents -- and the ways in which they can be improved -- and through interactivity seeks to inspire visitors to change their behavior and impact the future. Working with SWA's educators, Potion created a suite of interactive games that translate the 4Rs into real-life situations. To play the games, visitors step into SWA's shoes to sort out reusable, recyclable, and even hazardous items from a quick-moving waste stream generated by Palm Beach County residents. Visitors are challenged to examine their habits of consumption, to change their recycling habits at home, and ultimately to become smarter citizens. In addition to the interactive table, Potion also created a video presentation platform with live feeds from the facility floor, and an iPad app with which the SWA's educators can tailor the content on either display in real time. Together with environmental graphics by C&G Partners, the Visitor Education Center ultimately distills complex content into a fun, entertaining, and collaborative activity.