Mobile guide system in museums through the use of

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Mobile guide system in museums through the use
of portable game devices
Hiroyuki ARITA-KIKUTANI The National Science
Museum, Tokyo (JAPAN)
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Introduction
Promotion of the utilization and
telecommunication technology e-Japan
Strategy Multifunction of Japanese mobile phone
Built-in internet access Camera Contactless
integrated circuit card Watching TV Listening
to music (MP3 player)
Subscribers nearly 100 million 90 subscribers
can access Internet
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Audiovisual tours by mobile terminals Maintenan
ce free Cost saving Cross-institutional
guide
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Mobile game devices
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Mobile game devices
Shipped more than 20 million (4 million in Japan)
PSP Nintendo DS Playing MP3 files
built-in additional software needed Viewing
Photos, Videos built-in additional software
needed USB connection to PC ? Wireless
LAN(Wi-Fi) built-in built-in Internet
Browsing built-in additional software
needed Camera available accessory Screen
4.3 inch 3 inch 2
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(No Transcript)
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Purpose of this trial
To examine the possibility for the application of
the guide system through the use of mobile game
device at museum
Suitability Museum Game device Usability Do
visitors manipulate without difficulty? Populari
ty of Contents Expanded information?
Quiz? Potential Needs What do visitors expect?
?
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The National Science Museum, Tokyo, JAPAN (NSM)
Established 1877 Comprehensive science
museum 60 curators More than 3 million
collections 1.5 million visitors per year
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The New Annex The History of Life on Earth -
Human Beings in Coexistence with Nature
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Outline of the trial
Period 17 days in August 2006 (3-7, 11,
12, 15, 17, 19, 22-28) Model PlayStation
Portable Exhibition Mass Stranding in
Melon-Headed Whale
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(No Transcript)
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Outline of the trial
Period 17 days in August 2006 (3-7, 11,
12, 15, 17, 19, 22-28) Model PlayStation
Portable Exhibition Mass Stranding in
Melon-Headed Whale
1 What is Melon-Headed Whale? 2 Why do whales
strand? 3 Introduction for the research project
in our museum and collaborating institutions
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Outline of the trial
Contents For general and For beginner

• For General (72 pages)
• What is Melon-Headed Whale?
• Why do whales strand?
• Introduction for the research project
• Plus,
• Introduction of researchers and current research
  results
• Messages from surfers
• Related specimens in the permanent exhibition
• Introduction for the process of exhibition
  production

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Outline of the trial
Contents For general and For beginner

• For Beginner (36 pages)
• What is Melon-Headed Whale?
• Quiz
• Why do whales strand?
• Illustration
• Introduction for the research project
• Short text and Photo
• Plus,
• 4 Map
• (Related specimens in the permanent exhibition)

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Outline of the trial
Delivery of Contents Participants
Using their own PSP PSP for hire Questionnaire
Evaluating the general usability of PSP as a
guide tool Evaluating the content of this
mobile guide Expectation of future development
?Using before and after visit ?Out of doors
PSP
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Findings
No. of participants 160 Ownership rate
of PSP Bringing For General
15/45 10 For beginner 33/115 15
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1 Suitability
Do you want to use this mobile guide during your
next visit? Yes No For general 40 1 For
beginner 109 3 Why?
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2 Usability of game device
For General
For Beginner
Portability User-friendliness
Not Good
Good
Not Good
Good
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2 Usability of game device
For General
For Beginner
Text size Viewability of figures
Large
Appropriate
Small
Not Viewable
Viewable
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3 Popularity of contents
For General
For Beginner
Good, Convenient Difficulty
No. Ans.
No. Ans.
Easily understandable 16 Good usability 10 Info
rmation is in ones hands 8 Studying
before/after visit 4 Enhance engagement
4 Quiz, game 3 Detailed information 2
Extra information 12 Information is in ones
hands 5 Linkage with other exhibition 3 Same
explanation as panel 2 Familiarity for the
device 1
Just looking at the screen 11 Disconnected from
exhibition 4 Bad viewability of figures
1 Small area of the guide 1
Difficulty of exhibition theme 12 Overabundance
of information 2 Bad viewability of figures
2 Not user-friendly 1
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3 Popularity of contents
Impressive contents
For General
comments pages Stranding 10 27.0 20.8 Pa
rasite of cetacean 9 24.3 18.1 Melon-headed
Whale 8 21.6 20.8 Messages from surfers
6 16.2 5.6 Extra 2 5.4 8.3 Research
project 2 5.4 18.1 Extra information 45.9
32.0
No. Ans.
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3 Popularity of contents
Impressive contents
For beginner
comments pages Quiz 55 59.8 41.7 Melon-
Headed Whale 3 3.3 Stranding 28 30.4 27.
8 Map 3 3.3 16.7 Research project 2
2.2 8.3 Gif animation 1 1.1
No. Ans.
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4 What do visitors expect?
Type of contents
Hardware
No. Ans.
No. Ans.
Audio guide 8 Video clips 4 3-D images 2 More
quiz 2 Extra information 1
Nintendo DS 90 GameBoy Advance 31 Mobile phone
7 PC 2 No idea 4 Others 5
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4 What do visitors expect?
Place
No. Ans.
Zoo, Aquarium(guide of animals) 33 Art gallery
(guide of works) 16 Entire gallery in
NSM 10 Supermarket 7 Amusement park
4 Formal education 3 Natural park
2 Cultural heritage 1 Historical museum
1 Hospital (patient waiting) 1
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Summary
Suitability Museum Game device Usability Genera
lly good. Improvement of contents design
needed. Popularity of Contents Extra
information Quiz Potential Needs Audio guide,
video clips Content development Guide at other
museums Cooperation Other devices One source
for multiple use
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Next step
Improvement of contents viewability, choice of
media... providing audiovisual
guide Cross-device mobile guide PSP, Nintendo
DS, mobile phone and... Content delivery via
Wi-Fi comparing the way of delivery
Cross-institutional guide program with
neighboring large zoo