What is the future of the audio tour?

[Ryan Kellett]

I'm doing a piece for NPR's All Tech Considered Blog on the rise of the cell phone tour as a replacement for the traditional handset-rented audio tour in museums, zoos, etc.

As I understand it, even cellphone tours are becoming dated technology. So, what is the next step in audio tours? Are there some examples of cutting edge technology used in museums? Is there a good way to differentiate information for kids and for adults?

Please include name and contact information if you'd like to be quoted for the article.

[Jessica LoMonaco]

While we may not be cutting edge in many ways (nowhere near having cell phone tours, even if I think it is very cool), one thing we'll be putting into action may be worth mentioning. Our Keeping History Center is opening in the Fall and we'll be using a new interface involving iTouch technology. We're going to have 'zones' of information centering around some pillars and other areas in the room so as you reach a station on a pillar, the iTouch will open new information and give you new options and will start testimony. So as you're walking through the Center, you should feel like you are walking into and meeting new voices containing new stories, testimony and other information that you can interact with.

I am hoping that this might, in another phase (as of now it is a two phase project), include some interaction on the spot, like leaving comments to specific testimony or having conversations with others in the room. Since we are a memorial to the Holocaust, I know that personal space to explore may create more defined bubbles, but maybe that interactive aspect can get people to meet, to discuss in person what they may have begun discussing digitally. A girl can dream, right?

Since it has not yet been put up I'm not too sure of how it all works, but once it does go up and becomes open to the public I'll be sure to share more. This is the official Press Release, if you're interested http://www.mjhnyc.org/pressroom/documents/KHC.pdf . Please contact me if you want to ask any questions. While I may not be able to answer them to be quoted, I'm always up for sharing experiences.

[Christopher Edwards]

I think this sounds very cutting edge. I think that yes, cell phone tours will probably be here awhile. But there are some that are still grumbling about it (by some I mean patrons, who feel it cheapens the experience to have people walking around with cellphones at their ear).

My concern is that audio tours of any kind aren't completely accessible. Better to have content beamed to a hand held divice. Or using tabletops and RFID technology that activates new experiences and other places to learn like your itouch system has. But even there, I consider that part of the enhancement of the exhibit.

And not so much an audio tour. Which sort of by definition is supposed to provide more thorough narrative. The kind of context and linking that a tour-guide led tour does. (I think of it as being a replacement for it.) And maybe that's the answer. That in new era of building relationships with patrons, that any automated system of touring will be replaced with actual live tours once again.

Back to the accessibility issue. As a Deaf adult, I find that anything that allows me to read is exceddingly helpful. I was recently at NY's Rubin art museum at an ASL led tour. And noticed that they have stations with larger print cards that help give more context to the art and explain the positioning of items. It was an extra level of interpretation that was accessible and easy to work with.

[Flynn Perkins-Best]

This is really interesting. Thanks so much for sharing! :)

[Gareth Morlais]

I think the key to this lies in not overloading the listener. I've heard of GPS-triggered audio story tours where audio disconcertingly jump-cuts from one clip to the next as soon as the listener moves from one co-ordinate to the other, regardless of the sense of the narrative. Better by far to spread out the exhibits and match the durations to the time taken to toddle and use atmospheric SFX as bridges.

As far as devices go, is Bluetooth being used in museums for audio tours?

[Jeff Swyers]

This is true, with the iPhone and other smart phones, GPS is available to either automatically trigger content or show where they are on a map found on the device. But triggering the content to play does not have to be part of the application. The iPod Touch has many of the same features and benefits but no GPS. GPS also has limitations for indoor use since it requires satellites in orbit to fix the position. Regardless of the GPS capabilities the iPhone /iPod Touch and other platforms are a great way to have detailed interactive maps, video, audio, pictures, HTML pages and live links. One of the best things is that it does not require cell service. They are actually able to download the app to their personal devices, or the museum can rent out an iPod Touch to run the app. All is needed is a wi-fi connection for the download only. Once the app is on the iPhone/iPod Touch it is fully self contained.

It is also actually easy to take current audio tours and convert them into an iPhone app. You can even add video or pictures to enhance the experience and give those who download the App to their own devices a souvenir of their visit. The downside of the iPhone and other mobile technologies has always been cost. But now, companies like mine are making the conversions more affordable and feature rich.

[Adam Blackshaw]

I recently organised a demo from a Sydney company who distributes a Swedish product that uses a kind of lazer pointer to shoot at transponders located next to museum objects. The transponder kickstarts the MP3 audio file in the pointer itself and to the visitor via headphones. Each pointer contains every tour you may want to be made available (Curator, Conservator, soundscape, multiple languages, child etc). At point of distribution a visitor can select the tour they want and the staff member 'shoots' a transponder and it immediately sets itself to go. So a family for example could go to exactly the same objects in the galleries but each person could be hearing the different audio tour that they've chosen. I liked this tech. because it is simple and elegant to use, easy to create and update your own tours, locative (you have to be actually at the object to make it work) and audio only (I think video distracts people from looking at the museum objects). Of course it means an investment by the organisation into purchasing the hardware.

[Megan Sheehy]

Hi Adam, this technology sounds really interesting. I am trying to recommend some fresh ideas to a couple of people lately - could you tell me any more about this? Who is the Sydney company doing these? And have any of them been made yet?

Cheers
Megan

[Adam Blackshaw]

Hi Megan
Let me preface this by saying that I'm not endorsing this company or this product. I'm sure there are other products out there that have similar functionality. The rep who gave the demo was from Interactive Controls in Sydney and the product was the PickUp Audio Guide from Sweden (there is a naff demo here http://www.dataton.com/#/pickup/ ).

[Megan Sheehy]

Thanks Adam,
Ha ha that is one of the worst demo's I have ever seen. While the product looks good I would think twice about sending their website to a client!
Anyway, good to know it is out there!

Thanks,
Megan

[Robert Lansdown]

Hi Adam and Megan,
I'm a bit late with the reply as I only just joined the group but we use the Dataton Pickup devices for audio tours of our Museum. As Alan has said it is a simple solution as visitors only have to 'point and shoot' to start the file. I also agree with his comment that in some instances there are benefits of having just audio only so it doesn't distract from the objects being viewed. We place each transponder on an orange marker (see photo) so it stands out to visitors as they walk around.

Technically we haven't had an major issues, although the back end (uploading and coding files) takes a bit of training, and our charger (recharges MP3 devices after each use) had to be replaced which apparently is a common problem.

Kind regards,
Robert

[Lynda Kelly]

Hi Ryan and thnx for starting this thread. Check out this post from Loic Tallon about audio tours: I never take audio tours, I can't stand them. I think the heading says it all really! (but worth the read as a very considered article...)

[Jenny Ellison]

Hi,

I haven't seen it used in a museum - yet - but a Canadian newspaper is using a "scan life" application that directs smart phone users to further information, blogs, podcasts about their content. Info on this can be found here: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/editors/archive/2009/03/26... and also here: http://www.scanlife.com/us/

This sounds similar to what Jessica is describing, tho' perhaps a bit more user directed. It might also provide the option of giving users access to exhibition content outside the museum walls.