Derritek Post Production Theatre Upgrade
images courtesy of Science Museum
Derritek were commissioned by the Science Museum in London to design and build a prop
which demonstrates to groups of young children how an electrical circuit is required to transfer electricity from source to destination.
The design brief was to produce a unit that uses a chain of children to create a "human circuit". The child at either end of the chain holds onto the handles at the ends of the unit, and then links hands with a number of other children to complete a circuit. An alarm then sounds and a light illuminates in the house to represent the supply of electricity.
An important design feature was to ensure the unit could be powered by a rechargeable battery so that no wires could be seen, which provides a greater sense that the human chain is actually sending the electricity to the destination.
Derritek handled all the research, development and manufacture of the bespoke unit from conception to completion.