Second Gate Sdp 2007

Second Gate

designed by

Antonio Dell'Ava, Francesco De Faveri, Antonio Mariano, Andrea Solinas

Overview

Second Gate is an experience where people can find their aptitude for astronomy. The activity of learning astronomy is supported by a scientific park of which the architecture is a metaphor for universe.

Concept

The park is a Gate which allows people whom visit it to improve their knowledge on astronomy and to create a bridge from physical experience in the park and a virtual character in Second Life. In Second Gate every action in real life has a consequence in Second Life: if users successfully end an activity in real life s/he improves his/her second life character.

Concept

At the end of the visit the results of the activities in the park emerge as character features of a second life environment (such as pilot, astronomer, physician, ...).

Concept

At the same time users learn astronomy contents and system suggests them other scientific parks or museum (Villete, Grundland Astronomy Park, Chicago planetarium, ...) to visit and other kind of learning activities.

Park Architecture

- The space is divided in three concentric areas: the solar system, the milky way, the external universe. At the center of Second Gate there is the sun that is the start point.

Park Architecture

- Around the park are distributed plastic spherical model which rappresented celestial bodies (planets, stars, nebulae, ...). While black holes are rappresented by the gravitational field shows with a net of LED. When a celestial body rises the relative plastic spherical model lights itself.

Park Architecture

- To achieve the start point you have to walk in the aisle of knowledge, which shows the most important steps the humanity made in the walking to reach actual models of universe.

Tools

TOOLS: - Every user should have a device which can support Java software. If a user doesn't have it, we land you a SAMSUNG Q1. - Bluetooth technology allows the environment to interacts with the user. - When you enter in Second Gate you have to create a second life character which will be user's identity there.

Activities

When someone start the experience user character is without feature. The type of character and its feature depends on the results of activities the user has done in park: such as physic, flight simulation, astronomic observation, anthropological details.

Activities

The astronomic observation, located near the moon, concerns the studying of celestial events in order to increase user's knowledge about events in the sky.

Activities

If user is interested in physic: our laboratory is the place where is simulated zero gravity in the water, through your device you can take the control of RT space station model, you have to complete missions that make you feel the differences between the space and the earth.

Activities

ORBITER can offers an exiting experience. It's a flight simulator that goes beyond the confines of Earth's atmosphere. Launch the Space Shuttle from Kennedy Space Center to deploy a satellite, rendezvous with the International Space Station or take the futuristic Delta-glider for a tour through the solar system - the choice is yours. ORBITER is not a space shooter. The emphasis is firmly on realism, and the learning curve can be steep.

Activities

If at the end you want to try something different go to Anthrpo-astronomy in which you can discover connections between science and culture, and how myths and philosophy have influenced science in its paradigms. Here there are few stories. you can know them and test yourself regarding these contents.

Activities

Remind every activity makes your second life character grow up in the virtual world: obtaining degree, special object, ... You can play your character on second life where we will create the astronaut's academy where the park community can grow up... Finally the activities suggested (visiting museum, university, ..) by Second Gate allow the virtual identity to merge with the real user identity.