Bridge'ing the gap ...

The  shaft from the bridges rotating ships wheel coupled to a pot to tells position to microprocessor. In turn the microprocessor activates the lights on the compass.
The wheel and the pot are not on exact centers causing wearout of the pot. How to make an inexpensive flexible coupler?...heh heh! Good idea Jeff

Taking a bow!

The construction of the sunken ship in the "stingray touch pool" continues with the fabrication and installation of the bow. The dimensions were extracted from the 3D model and laid out on the floor of the shop as a reference. The  bow was then fabricated in multiple modular pieces so that it could be carried to the exhibit and installed. After stressing the surface with cuts and holes, the entire bow was coated with the "secret stucco" making it look like rotted wood that matched the entry section.

As an added touch, an in house designed electronic eye gadget (Arduino based) was added in one of the holes of the bow. 

Visit us and check out these new additions to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.

We will update you as we complete the last section of the sunken hull which is the starboard side of the ship. 

We have allot more cool things planned so:

DON'T FORGET TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

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Pictures of the bows construction follow, I think they are self explanatory.

Making the new Touch Pool

Sunken ships hull

We are constantly looking for ways to improve the guest experience @ the LLPA.
This past month the exhibit and marketing teams have been hard at work designing and fabricating the new touch pool exhibit. The exhibit is built on a sunken ships theme whereas you enter a rotted ship's hull that landed precariously over the pool. Inside the sunken ship you can observe and touch the animals that live in this underwater habitat.

Raising the Sinking Ship

First the exhibit is computer modeled in a 3D form and then the hull is fabricated from laminated plywood sections that match the 3D designs shape and theme. In this case the wall needed to be bowed to match the hull's dimensions. The shape was taped on the floor of the shop and the laminated sections were assembled around it.
Then the surface of the wall was covered with a "secret sauce" that will be formed, stained and finished to look like rotted underwater wood.
Work in the exhibit space can only be done before and after the aquarium's closing so the wall sections are designed and fabricated in movable sections.
The night before, the team prepares the walls, hardware and hull sections for the next mornings installation.

Lots more to do!

This is just the first section of the ship hull, there are at least two more wall yet to be completed, so stay subscribed to this blog to see this fun new exhibit evolve.

Below are pictures taken as the fragments of the sunken ships hull were completed and installed.

 

Making of the: DNR water conservation exhibit

We just completed the most recent exhibit now in operation at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.

This exhibit, sponsored by the Utah DNR, teaches about water conservation and how to more efficiently use our water resources by making better choices.

The exhibit compares best practice water usage against poor choices that waste water. It does this by simulating water in pipes flowing into  a set of best practice (blue) and poor practice (red) resevoirs.

Some features of the exhibit:

• Custom welded 1.5" steel tubular frame and shelf, hand finished trim.

• Printed 1/4" Graphics panels

• Embedded Arduino mega processor that managed 4 scenes

• Nearly 500 programmable LEDs that simulate water, each can be programmed to display over 16K colors

• LED strings mounted in steel channels with hand cut diffused slots

• 2 acrylic virtual reservoirs

• In house designed software

• Keyed, power access

• Integrated diagnostics with key switch access

• Controller panel (below shelf)

• On-off timer and integrated power sequencing

• All solid state and maintenance free design with animated water and user scene selection.

The pictures below outline the design and its fabrication:

The switch tray with power and electronics

Arduino Mega controller, power sequencer, power supply, push buttons and wiring harness. The mega is mounted to a sub-plate that is accessible from underneath. The mega is powered by 12 v which is switched by a power relay that is connected to the 5v supply. This schema insured that the Neopixel 5v is on before the logic. The switches and Neopixels were connected to the Mega via connectors soldered to the mega shield.. Most of these parts came from Aidafruit.

The Neopixel channels mounted to a welded 1.5" tubular steel frame. 

Metal studs  were mounted to the frame to hold the NeoPixels and provide a reflector behind the graphics panel. The pipes in the graphic panel were cut out by hand and a white acrylic diffuser was glued to the back of the panel. This arrangement  allowed us to create the illusion of water going up the pipes by chasing a series of lights around the array.

The noepixel strings were mounted with silicon holders and metal HVAC tape.

8 strings of Neopixels were connected together in one continuous sting. Lots of careful soldering but this jig made it possible

The Mega controller is accessible from the bottom of the tray with 5v fuse, DC power light and diagnostic key switch.  A USB patch cord (Aidafruit) allows access from the Arduino IDE while the unit is installed.

Thanks for watching and hope to see you at the aquarium.
Don Kleinschnitz
CTO and exhibits design