Earlier this year, the Science Museum in Kensington, London, approached ERA with a most unusual requirement for assistance with a proposed interactive artwork called
‘DO NOT TOUCH’ by the artist Christian Moeller. This exhibit was to be the centre-piece of a new gallery ‘Energy Fuelling the Future’, which opened in July 2004. The requirement was to provide a physical experience of energy by giving an electric shock to anyone touching the
exhibit!

However, there were several caveats: the exhibit would be in operation for about 10 years, meaning that many thousands of people would touch it over that period. It had to be absolutely safe for any child or adult visiting the Museum, regardless of their age, stature, ethnic origin or state of health. Therefore, the delivered shock had to be above the threshold of perception of a wide range of people and yet be of a very low and safe level.

ERA assisted the Museum by identifying the levels of electric shock energy which could be experienced safely and possible sources of shock energy which could be safely limited to such levels. ERA also provided recommendations on how to modify the originally-proposed physical exhibit to minimise the effects of shocks by limiting the current path through the human body to the hands instead of exposing larger parts of the body. Both the Museum and the artist were pleased with these recommendations as they found that the revised solution was actually aesthetically better and equally psychologically challenging for visitors.

The Museum commissioned ERA to design, build and install a ‘shock box’ to provide the shock energy to the touchable part of the exhibit.The ‘shock box’ was installed in July, ready for the Energy Gallery to be opened to the visiting public.

Since then, thousands of visitors, mainly children, have visited the gallery, touched the exhibit and safely received the shocks without any complaints. In fact, many of the children enjoyed the experience so much that they went back for more, particularly as there is a loud computer-generated shock sound designed by the artist every time a shock is delivered! You can visit the Energy Gallery any day of the week or view the exhibit on-line at: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

As well as developing innovative solutions to clients' unique safety challenges like the above, ERA also provides a range of technical regulatory management services to help ensure the compliance of systems and products throughout their lifecycle.

Our services assist system designers, manufacturers and importers to ensure that regulatory requirements are correctly understood, and that the appropriate evidence of compliance is available, complete and valid, and adequately supported by relevant internal processes and controls.