The Talking Walls™

Romsey-based inventor, Deborah Wilson, a finalist in the Innoventions 2004 Awards Exhibition, won a prestigious award for her ‘virtual history experience’ called The Talking Walls™ Trevor Bayliss, inventor of the Clockwork Radio, presented the Business category’s ‘Highly Commended’ award to Deborah at Intech, Winchester in Hampshire on the 25th June. There were 60 finalists presenting at the Exhibition with judging taking place on the day. Deborah said that she was delighted to have been chosen to win this award, especially with the calibre of inventions being so high. The first prize was presented to Dr Philip Munroe of the Hampshire Advisory and Technical Services for his ‘self rehydrating bags for disaster relief’.

Vice President of Romsey & District Chamber of Commerce and MD of two companies, Deborah completed a part-time MA in Interactive Production at Southampton Institute in October 2003 and her Innovention 2004 project resulted from that. The matrix application that Deborah has produced offers a new method of looking at a historical time-line of a building (e.g. a castle or stately home) and enables users to see how the building has changed over time. The ‘matrix’ allows the various rooms of a building to be viewed at different stages through history.
The application includes 3D animations and visualisations of the National Trust property at Dunster Castle, all of which have been created with Maxon Cinema 4D. The matrix has also been developed and created with Cinema 4D and is causing a great deal of interest as a unique navigational and management tool. The Talking Walls™ application can be delivered:

• Via a handheld device as the visitor to the building walks round it. This would offer an educational slant with quizzes and facts for children
• Over a PC using a CD or DVD-ROM. This is suitable for the tourist market abroad
• Through a kiosk screen at a visitor centre

An experienced educator and trainer, Deborah identified an ongoing need to improve and modernise methods of learning and communicating information. She explains: “There is no better way to enable young people in the 21st Century to become better informed about their cultural heritage than via a multimedia application delivered to either a handheld or desktop device. I think this is an excellent way of stimulating interest in the Past.”

Contact details:
Deborah Wilson MA, BA(Hon’s), PGCE, MPDA

Clear Thinking (UK) Ltd / The Talking Walls™
The Studio
1 Crescent Road
North Baddesley
Hampshire SO52 9HU

T: 023 8041 0628
debs@thetalkingwalls.co.uk
www.thetalkingwalls.co.uk

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