The Waterless LED Tube, an amazing new way to stimulate your senses

The New Waterless LED Tube

Our electronic design team have been very busy this past month creating a waterless LED tube for Apollo Creative. From concept to design to manufacture the team has put a lot of thought and passion into creating a beneficial product to relax and stimulate the senses. Tom, who designed the electronics for the waterless LED tube says, “I really enjoyed working on this project and I'm very happy with the final result, I hope to see it used in as many ways as possible!”
    
Even though Apollo Creative supply water treatment fluid that can counteract the risk of legionnaires disease, some people may prefer to do without water completely. In these situations the waterless LED tube is perfect as it's lights offer a calming, relaxing and stress-free atmosphere ideal for people who need to actively stimulate their senses. It works perfectly in any sensory room with the added benefit of not having to change any water. With its clean modern finish we're really excited to see how we can integrate the waterless LED tube into sensory rooms, exhibitions, retail and beyond. 

The Continuing Positive Development of Sensory Environments

Sensory environments are becoming more available and widely appreciated for the huge features and benefits that they provide. In a recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, sensory gardens have been proven to give a positive effect on people who suffer from dementia. Apollo Creative has worked on numerous projects installing sensory products such as bubble tubes into gardens for a relaxing, peaceful experience.  

Sensory products can also be utilised in the retail sector, showcasing products and creating eye catching displays, it is a simple way to entice customers and get excited about a product. Retailers are starting to see the benefits of utilising all five senses of their customers to sell not just a product, but an experience.

A sensory room is one of the most popular ways of using the products that Apollo Creative provide. Utilising a space to install bubble tubes, fibre optic lights, projection screens or bubble walls creates the ultimate sensory environment. A simple web-search highlights the positive effects they have on people from children to the elderly. Sensory environments really are developing to become essential in the therapeutic treatment of patients with mental illness.

Sensory environments are helping us to bring calm to the fast-paced world we live in. Being able to provide a relaxing, therapeutic and exciting experience really is at the heart of our business. We can't wait to see how use of sensory products benefits your life.

  

What is a Bubble Tube and how can you use it?

A bubble tube is a sensory piece of equipment used to provide a relaxing, colourful and joyful experience. First conceived by Ad Verheul and Jan Hulsegg in Holland in 1974 as they were creating 'snoezelens' (Sensory Rooms). A bubble tube uses different coloured led lights that can be controlled by an interactive controller to determine your perfect relaxation point. There are many ways in which our technology can control your bubble tube anything from being touch sensitive to using your voice to change the colour!

People with autism can focus their attention and interact with the eye catching bubble tube. This provides a very relaxed environment for them, the beautiful colours highlight the marvellous bubbles that feature as a centrepiece in any sensory room.

The bubble tube is perfect for educating children, they can learn about different colours and recognise certain feelings they get when seeing, for example, a blue colour to mean cold.

Let's not forget they can be used to showcase products in retail and for any other interactive exhibitions just check out our recent project that was finished in the new CBeebies Land at Alton Towers Resort.

If you use a bubble tube we would love to see it and how you use it, just tweet us your photos to our Twitter page.

Bubble tubes light up Nina's at Alton Towers

Technology designed and created in Knaresborough will form part of a top new attraction at the UK’s most popular theme park.

Apollo Creative has supplied four bubble tubes – colour changing bubbling columns of water – to Alton Towers Resort for the new CBeebies Land, which opened on May 24.

Ben Johnson, a product specialist at Apollo Creative, said: “We were first contacted by Alton Towers Resort in mid-January when they were looking to source some bespoke bubble tubes for the Nina’s Science Lab area, both inside and out.

“Being a UK manufacturer, we were able to deliver exactly what they were after, well before the launch.”

Although Apollo Creative has extensive experience in creating bubble tubes, they are traditionally used in environments such as sensory rooms. Recently, there has been increasing demand for them to create exciting and enticing displays.

Ben added: “We’re seeing a growing interest from retail display and exhibition markets as companies look to draw more attention to their products and company by standing out from the crowd.

“One of our recent projects was to create an interesting display for Clarins to use on its display in Selfridges on Oxford Street in London. This work with Alton Towers Resort reinforces that there are many new and exciting ways the technology can be used – whatever our customers imagine, we can find a way to create.”

The contract with Alton Towers Resort allowed Ben and his team to further develop the technology for outdoor use, such as making them waterproof and including much brighter LEDs.

Dave Reynolds, entertainments assistant technical manager at Alton Towers Resort, said: “It has been great working with Apollo Creative – we were kept informed of their progress throughout the order.

“This meant that when our order arrived we were confident that there would be no surprises. We were also able to connect it to our existing lighting system, meaning we could control the colours to match all our other lights.

“We’re very happy with the finished product and love how the display looks”. 

Interactive light, sound, and sensory room

It's not often that we write about individual jobs but a recent installation in London seemed worthy.

When we were contacted back in June, Preston Manor Lower School were looking for a "high tech projector system" for their growing number of autistic children. The room had to remain as a part-time functioning classroom so the soft play padding that you'd usually find in a sensory room couldn't be included, and any pieces of equipment had to be as unobtrusive as possible. This meant that the traditional bubble tube was swapped with a bubble wall, and coloured spotlights replaced with LED strips to provide a colourful wash over the walls.

With only two days to provide a quotation, we promoted a system based on the strength of our Ensemble interactive sensory room controller. It was the combination of wireless sensors and Xbox controllers that caught the eye of the school, and the design of the space was best described as a cross between an interactive light and sound room, and a multi sensory room.

When visiting later in the year I took a few photos for our records, but we were able to use them to mock up what the room would look like. It turned out nicer than a 3D CAD drawing as it's easier for everyone to visualise, including the clutter!

Visualisation of the Preston Manor School interactive light, sound, and sensory room.

While plans had to change due to the location of the newly installed projector, the overall effect was just as we'd hoped. By moving the LED lighting to face upwards the entire room now changes colour, rather than just the walls.

The finished interactive light, sound, and sensory room

As many cables as possible were kept in the existing trunking, and special faceplates were installed to handle the connections from the computer. The result is a very neat finish, one that can easily fulfil both uses of the classroom, and one that we're proud of.

Apollo Creative products for retail display

While our standard products are designed for multi sensory rooms to enhance the lives of those using them, the same ideas can be transferred to retail display and exhibitions. The two areas have a surprising amount of overlap, for example both are trying to encourage a response from those that they come across, and so with a few modifications our products can be ideal for retail.

Products can be suspended in our bubble tubes, stickers can display a company or product logo, and colour schemes can be made to match.

Get in touch with your requirements and we'll work together to help promote your brand.

Multi sensory packages on a budget from Apollo Creative

Not only is money tight at the moment, but space can be also. Add those two together and the prospect of a multi sensory room can feel a very long way away indeed.

It's for this reason that we've got a number of sensory packages. Simple bits of equipment which when added together can give the multi sensory feel. Some are also designed to be movable so if suddenly your circumstances change, the equipment can adapt with you.

If you've only got a spare corner, one of the best ways to make the most of it is by using mirrors. Mirrors make any space feel bigger, and also enhance the effect of coloured lighting. Anyone can put together our Mirrored Bubble Tube Corner making it easy for you to do yourself, another cost saver.

No matter how big or small your space might be, there's always something that you can do with it. Get in touch with us to find out how we can help.