Interview
Symmetry Magazine | LHC exhibit expands beyond the visual
The touring Tactile Collider event explores new ways to access Large Hadron Collider science through touch, sound and live interaction.
What is it about?
Tactile Collider is an exciting immersive workshop that allows participants to explore the science of particle accelerators and the Higgs boson through touch, sound and embodied learning techniques. Linked to current research, the activities are designed to be inclusive of audiences with visual impairment - an underrepresented group in science.
Tactile Collider is led by: • Dr Rob Appleby from The University of Manchester and the Cockcroft Institute • Dr Chris Edmonds from the University of Liverpool and the Cockcroft Institute • Robyn Watson from Bolton Sensory Support Services
Why is it important?
Science education depends heavily on visual resources. If you are a young person with visual impairment (VI), then not being able access these resources can make you feel that following a scientific career path is not an option for you.
By creating high quality public engagement resources, Tactile Collider aims to include people with VI in conversations on physics research and make people feel welcome in the science community. Tactile Collider provides innovative methods for exploring scientific concepts, including touch, immersive audio and embodied learning.
