Math Square

From WikiMathCom
Jump to: navigation, search
Exhibit
Math Square
[[|frameless]]
On display at National Museum of Mathematics
Type Hands-on, inmersive
Topics Iterative art

Math Square is an exhibit at the National Museum of Mathematics

Description

The exhibit consists of a giant multi-color LED display mounted on the floor of the exhibition room. Sensors embedded in the floor detect the presence of visitors walking over the display, and the display reacts according to different algorithms. Many programs can run on Math Square, including the following crowd favorites:


Several programs can run on the Math Square:

Voronoi

The screen displays the Voronoi cells created by each visitor on the floor, creating a dynamic cacophony of color that transforms as visitors move around on the square

Spirographs of Venus

A circle (the "Sun") is displayed in the center of the square. When a visitor steps onto the floor, a "planet" appears on the display and starts orbiting around the central Sun. The speed depends on the radial distance to the center. Every time a new visitor steps in, another planet is created, and also a line segment is drawn between this new planet and the last planet added. The planets and the lines leave a trace behind, creating interesting patterns including a surprising number of curves.

Logic Mazes

Logic mazes are mazes that appear trivial to solve, except for the fact that you have to follow additional rules that constrain your choices.

Activities and user interaction

Step into the world of mathematical games, controlled by the movement of your feet.

Mathematical background

In addition to the mathematics identified in the description, as an open interactive platform, many mathematical concepts could be conceived and deployed on Math Square. Two current behaviors on Math Square were designed by students during a weekend hackathon.

History and museology

The technology of a luminous floor with integral detection became available relatively recently, and has several signification advantages in this application to the alternative overhead projection format.

Resources

License

Math Square is released under an open license under a sponsorship by Google.