Bespoke bubble tubes used for retail display in London

Bubble tubes used as a podium for product launch

Earlier this year, retail design specialists design4retail approached Apollo Creative hoping to incorporate extra wide bubble tubes for a retail display in Selfridges, London. The 400mm diameter bubble tubes were over twice as large as standard bubble tubes so certain modifications were needed, such as brighter LEDs and a more powerful air pump.

We worked closely with their design team, providing drawings and modifying the bubble tubes to accommodate the wishes of their client. The bubble tubes were used as a display podium, and a sticker was placed around the outside of the tube to fit the branding of the products.

News: Yorkshire firm aims to up its game

If you enjoy playing video games you’ll already be familiar with the satisfaction to be had from a slick move which defeats your enemy, wins you a race or scores a spectacular goal.

But imagine if that same controller or game pad had the power to change the environment around you – lighting, sound, image and video.

A small firm Yorkshire-based firm already has and, as a result, people with severe learning or physical disabilities have been able to enjoy control over their environment or the pleasure of playing music - simply by applying pressure on the buttons on a games console controller.

Frode playing the Xbox Controller

The familiar wireless Xbox controller is incorporated into Apollo Creative’s Ensemble technology which also employs other sensors, switches and pressure pads to trigger sounds or images linked to a theme of the user’s choosing.

“It could be outer space or the rainforest; a musical performance or interactive storytelling session; it really does depend on the images or sounds available as a resource,” said Apollo’s creative director Mark Hildred. “One of the advantages of the Ensemble software is that it’s adaptable and easy to change.”

Often young people with physical disabilities can be put-off by the specialist equipment which can appear to be too childish or emphasise their differences. However, the games controller comes with an inbuilt 'cool' factor, plus the fact that it’s often already familiar.

“We’ve seen youngsters master simple tunes with the controller – and derive a great deal of pleasure from it,” said Mr Hildred.

“I recently encountered a young man who had a very severe physical disability and only really had control over his head movement. With careful positioning of the controller he was able to play the joystick using his chin. In fact he was the best player we met that day, easily out performing the more able bodied performers.”

The Ensemble package has already helped the company reach the final of the ICT Special Educational Needs Solutions category at the British Educational Training & Technology (Bett) Awards in London at the end of the month (Jan 30 – Feb 1), and Mr Hildred has confirmed 2013 could see Apollo widening its appeal in the broader education sector.

“We primarily supply Ensemble equipment to the special needs market, but have a number of situations where it's used in mainstream settings including a pilot project to introduce nursery children to music,” said Mr Hildred.

“We’re hoping the Bett Show and awards in London gives us a platform to promote the concept. The audience will be representing education providers from around the globe so it’s a massive opportunity for us – and we need to make sure we grab it with both hands.

“If you’re serious about learning a musical instrument, then there’s no substitute for the real thing - but let’s say your objective is just to pique the interest of a class of children or to teach them the rudiments of music.

“Wouldn’t it be great if you could hand them something they’re probably already familiar with and associate with fun?”

News: Apollo Creative in line for national award

A Yorkshire company which designs and manufactures technology which allows children with disabilities to express themselves through movement has been named as a national finalist at a prestigious industry awards ceremony to be held next month.

Apollo Ensemble allows children with physical or learning difficulties to transform their body movements into sound, light, images and video and can be used for music-making, in sensory environments or for interactive story-telling.

Invented by Apollo Creative, based on Manse Lane in Knaresborough, the equipment has been shortlisted as a finalist in the ICT Special Educational Needs Solutions category of the British Educational Training & Technology Awards (Bett).

“The beauty of Apollo Ensemble is that it can be adapted for any user, no matter how limited their range of movement. It can be configured so that even the twitch of a finger can have significant audio or visual results,” explained creative director Mark Hildred.

“For schools working with children with a wide range of disabilities this is a real benefit. The system is portable too, so it can be taken wherever it’s needed.”

Apollo Creative has worked with establishments such as The Dales School at Morton-on-Swale, North Yorkshire, and KidsOut, a national charity which helps disadvantaged children.

Mr Hildred hopes the Bett Award nomination will help take Apollo Ensemble out to an even wider audience.

“Ensemble is really versatile – it can be integrated into classroom learning for group use or geared to an individual, which is why schools find it so useful,” he said. “We’re delighted the selection panel has recognised its advantage and have our fingers crossed for the final judging.”

The Bett Awards ceremony takes place on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel in London.

The Bett Awards are considered to be the most prestigious in the education sector, and are committed to celebrating a distinctive and diverse digital education resources market that meets the needs of the education system.

Event director with organisers i2i Events Group, Debbie French, said: “It is the quality of these products and services that helps to maintain the UK’s position as the leader in the use of technology in education.

“The specific nature of each individual child’s learning requirements means judging the products and services entered into the Bett Awards is possibly the most challenging of any award programme. This year we have been astounded by the levels of innovation in the judged products.”

Director of the British Educational Suppliers Association and chairman of the judging panel, Caroline Wright, added: “Despite schools now realising they do have strong available budgets, teachers are becoming more shrewd in assessing the aptness of products for their specific needs.

“Products therefore need to be of the highest standard to ensure that, aside from the initial purchase price, the total cost of ownership is low. This is what the judges have identified; products that offer the highest quality and are fit for purpose.

“These Bett Award finalists are certainly companies that schools can safely consider to be amongst the best available.”

The music plays on...

A slightly emptier control rack

It was a very sad today today as we were called in to rip out the interactive light and sound room at the Gordon Parry Centre in Leeds. Unfortunately the building has been condemned and the Centre, along with all the other arts tenants of the West Park Centre, were given just a few days to clear the site.

The room incorporated a lighting rig with various lighting effects; fixed sockets for wired sensors and switches; an effects unit and microphone; speakers; a PC with Apollo Ensemble; a large touch-screen monitor; black-out curtains; and a whole range of musical instruments.

Although the room equipment is now in storage, the Gordon Parry Centre's activities will continue.

• Music Therapy will be held at HEART, the Headingley community centre, until further notice.
• All three after school clubs will be rehoused at different venues, to be announced soon.
• Instruments from the instrument library will still be available by request.
• Bespoke projects will still be available to run in schools or other venues.

It is hoped that a new venue will be found in the new year and the equipment can be reinstalled. Until then the music keeps on playing with a more mobile offering.

Equipment awaiting shipping

You can read about the Gordon Parry Centre and see what the room looked like in our Customer Stories section of the Apollo Ensemble website. 

News: Technology helps student to tune in

A student’s investigation into the effects of interactive sound displays has been given a helping hand from technology supplied by a Knaresborough company.

Marie Tueje used equipment provided by Apollo Creative as part of her final project for her MA in sound design at the University of York, looking into how people interact with displays in museums.

Young visitors get to grips with Apollo Ensemble, creating 
“soundscapes” by sitting on a bench at the National Railway Museum in York

Marie created an interactive bench which emitted sound effects and clips depending on how many people were sitting on it.

“The project was called Immovable Transition, so the idea was that users would take a journey without moving,” she said.

“We had recorded soundscapes of trains, engines, announcements and things like that.

“We also used some voiceover recording snippets – broken up and disrupted texts that would come in every so often. They were drawn from users’ experiences.”

The equipment Marie used was Apollo Ensemble, a piece of technology which is more frequently used in schools to help children with special needs to interact with their environment. It can pick up on a range of different movements allowing the children to create light, sound, video and other effects.

In this case, the technology was installed on a bench at the National Railway Museum in York, where trigger pads on the seat meant visitors could interact with the sounds. Marie said it particularly appealed to older people who needed a rest during their trip to the museum, but who could stay with their families as they played on the bench, rather than being left behind.

Initially, Marie had not planned to carry out any practical work. When her tutor suggested she should, Apollo stepped in to make sure Marie could get the results she needed to complete her work.

“I got real feedback on my ideas and it was really interesting in terms of user experience and how that influences their relationship to what they were hearing,” she said.

“Just being able to take something that was theoretical and realise it in a practical setting and test it and get feedback was really useful.”

Apollo’s creative director Mark Hildred said: “Ensemble has been used in museums before, but it was great to be involved in a research project this time. 

“When Marie got in touch to ask if we could help her, I was keen to do whatever I could to bring her theories to life and I’m pleased it has paid off.”

To see Marie’s work in action, visit http://vimeo.com/49753540.

News: Bubble stream bursts onto gym scene

Yorkshire’s newest sport and fitness centre could be setting a trend when the state-of-the-art premises open next week.

Bubble tubes supplied by Knaresborough-based Apollo Creative have been incorporated into the cycling area at the £9m York Sport Village, designed by The Ideas Group of York, called in to develop innovative concepts inside the new building.

An artist's impression of the cycling area

The company has already used Apollo Creative’s interactive water features in other projects around the UK, including retail environments and exhibitions.

However, the floor-to-ceiling bubble tubes in the new sport village are thought to be a first in the region’s gyms, giving users of the cycling machines something inspiring to look at as they try to emulate the feats of Britain’s world-beating cycling greats.

“We thought bubble tubes would work well in this case – and we will be developing the idea further by connecting them to technology which will reward users of the cycling machines by changing the bubbles’ behaviour to reflect their level of effort,” said The Ideas Group MD, Nick Townend.

“If that works well, who knows; we could be onto a concept which other fitness centres would like to consider.”

Apollo Creative’s Mark Hildred added: “Bubble tubes are mainly seen in sensory settings, but they always prove a popular attraction to people of all ages.

“We were really excited when Nick first approached us about the Sports Village concept, especially as I've spent many an hour pedalling away on a bike in the gym. I can see this being a popular feature and can't wait to work on developing it further."

The York Sport Village has been developed in partnership between the University of York, Sport England and the City of York Council with the stated aim of inspiring everyone to embrace active lifestyles and encourage exercise and participation in sport at every level by providing first-class facilities, services and development programmes designed to aid improvement.

News: Sound investment opens doors for York charity

More children with serious illnesses and disabilities will be able to express themselves through music thanks to a partnership between a York-based charity and a technology company based in Knaresborough.

Apollo Creative specialises in developing systems which transform body movements into sound, light, image and video, maximising the users’ abilities by detecting a wide range of gestures, allowing the system to be used for music making, sensory environments and interactive stories.

The Wakefield Music Service in West Yorkshire has now invested in Apollo’s latest equipment but, rather than disposing of their older accessible music technology kit, managers agreed to donate it to York-based Jessie’s Fund, which works with children’s hospices all over the UK.

Set up in memory of nine-year-old Jessica George - who died of a brain tumour in 1994 - the charity will choose a hospice to benefit from the donation after circulating details of the equipment to those who may be interested in giving it a new home.

Lesley & Mark with some of the donated kit

“Many of us take interacting with others for granted but, for some with speech problems or with physical disabilities, it can be extremely difficult,” said Jessie’s mum and charity founder, Lesley Schatzberger.

“For them, the world is not about doing but about having things done for them which can be massively frustrating. Having control over sound or music is extremely therapeutic as it gives them a chance to communicate and participate.”

The Apollo Ensemble equipment heading for Wakefield includes wireless games console handsets, adapted so they can be “played” as musical instruments, used to trigger sound effects or change images on display screens.

But whole orchestras, more simple sounds and even lights and images can also be conjured up by the wave or squeeze of a hand or the use of pressure pads, giving Ensemble users with limited movement similar levels of control.

Wakefield Music Services has invested in Ensemble as a powerful tool to engage young people with special needs in high-quality, accessible music making.

“We had a demonstration of the system in March and were impressed by how easy the Ensemble system is to use,” said Senior Officer for Music for Wakefield, Geraldine Gaunt. “It’s a brilliant way to make music lessons more inclusive and we’re certain it will be a valuable addition to our resources.”

Apollo’s creative director Mark Hildred added he was delighted to see Jessie’s Fund benefit from the investment in Wakefield.

“It's great when we can help two groups of children in one go. The older equipment will really benefit a hospice that has not previously had access to this kind of technology. It's a programme were hoping to extend to other organisations.”