How does a computer work? - A multimedia room for hands-on exploration

How does a computer work? How does an e-mail travel between sender and recipient? What components does a computer need? These questions are answered at five different exhibit stations. A short film provides an introduction to the topic, followed by four further exhibit stations, each with a number of workstations.

 

Centre stage is taken by "VARI", a monitor with a mobile supporting arm which is equipped with "augmented reality". This state-of-the-art technology enables real objects to be linked with a virtual environment. Visitors can move the monitor over a computer's components and view the objects as if through a window. At the same time, comments on the function and history of the respective components are displayed. The components can be moved by virtual means and so can be assembled to form a computer. "VARI" makes for a completely new type of visual experience and is unparalleled in the museum world.

 

Visitors can write an e-mail at the "computer workstation" and track its processing in the memory as well as the computer's control and arithmetic units. The e-mail will subsequently be found on the sender's PC at home as a memento of the museum visit.

 

The "computer networks workstation" displays a virtual globe encompassed by a stylised internet. Using a combination of joystick and touchscreen, the visitor can follow the route taken by an e-mail and explore mail server, firewall, provider and router alike.

 

All this information is supplemented with five games which demonstrate to users how the computer translates alphabetic characters into binary code, how calculations are performed in binary code and how programs operate.