 Advances in Technology Innovation, vol. 1, no. 1, 2016, pp. 21 - 24 21 Copyright © TAETI Participatory Communication Referred to Meta-Design Approach through the FleXpeaker™ Application of Innovative Material in Exhibition Design Pei-Hsuan Su Department of Visual Communication Design, National Taiwan University of Arts , New Taipei City, Taiwan. Received 22 February 2016; received in revised form 10 May 2016; accept ed 15 May 2016 Abstract Modelling a co mmun ication system in materia l culture today always involves with objects, people, organizations, activit ies and interre lationships among them. The research er suggests bringing together stakeholders engaged to exchange ideas, which the interactions relate to mult iple pro fessions and disciplines in a participatory scope of commun ication system. Owing to the invention of dig ital media , the status quo of images and sounds has revolutionized and caused changes of the mode of art e xhib itions that produce activities and aesthetic concepts in terms of numerica l representation, modularity, auto mation, visual variability and transcoding. Underly ing a participatory-design approach, the research emphasizes a co-c reative meta-interpretation of museum’s visitors . In addition, the research delves further into the use of new med ia-Fle Xpeaker™ [IT RI], as the carrier. Co mbin ing art and design with innovative technology, the research focuses on exa mining design objects and innovative material which a re applied in new media a rt and e xh ibition, in the hope to find new angles of partic ipatory interpretation of the “integrated innovation” in curating an exhibition. Keywor ds : communication system, participatory design, exhibit design, flexible speaker 1. Introduction Intertwined within a participatory communication system nowadays , the invention of digital med ia has revolutionized the quality of images and sounds . It has also changed the way of images and sounds in which they are contemplated, and the mode of a rt e xh ibit ions that produce activities and esthetics concepts, because of the applications of “nu merical representation, modularity, auto mation, v isual variability and transcoding” in this new media age [1]. In fact, the reproductability of digital technology leads to the hyper-real scenes where images and sounds are produced, copied and stimulated in a way that mimet ic cannot be told apart from the original. Co mbin ing art and design with innovative technology, my research focuses on e xa mining design objects and materia l innovation which a re applied in ne w media art and exhib ition, in the hope to find new angles of participatory interpretation of the “ integrated innovation” in curating an exhibition. The researcher e mphasizes how to bring in museum’s visitors’ co-creation and meta-interpretation on the e xhib ition site. The research delves further into the application of certain a new med ia-Fle Xpeaker™ [IT RI], as the carrier. For instance, the social context and historical data are visualized and transcoded into specific images and life photography printed upon both sides of the surface of FleXpeake r™, as we ll as with sound effects to stimulate visitors' imagination of the events, the time and the underlying environment at the e xh ib ition spaces in Sun Yun-Suan Me morial Museum in Taipe i [2]. Therefo re, the e xhib ition devices and design objects do help visitors to realize the significance of diverse ele ments of sounds, images and historical-docu mentary data in relation to its cultural-heritage representation. * Corresponding aut hor, Email: sherriesutaipei@gmail.com Advances in Technology Innovation , vol. 1, no. 1, 2016, pp. 21 - 24 22 Copyright © TAETI 2. Method This participatory commun ication study is based upon how to employ partic ipatory design in the art exh ibitions and museum spaces. As the matter of fact, much e mphasis has been placed on design methods such as co-creation but even that has been largely limited to the involvement of visitors as participants. In addition, most of us get used to know the idea of hardware-oriented or professionally dominated des ign, so that we do think of visitors must adapt to the technology and the expertise must be shared with same background knowledge. Ho wever, the researcher would like to notify that museum’s curators get to employ so-called “partic ipatory design” during curating time which focuses on systematic e xhib it development to envision context within design thinking and practices . Fundamentally different fro m creating complete settled–up e xhib it systems, the curators need to consider a defining activity for empowe ring part ic ipation, a imed at creating certain interactive design devices as the exhibits , for other visitors. In addition, based on the idea of “partic ipatory design,” through focus ing on general e xhib ited structures interacted with visiting processes rather than on fixed e xh ibited objects and contents , the museum visitors may get deeper involved and achieve to the “world-as -e xpe rienced situated action ” later engaged in the e xh ib it design system. Here we anticipate the partic ipatory nature applied in e xhibit design and the transition to more autonomous action for discovery by museum visitors . This method releases more power to the visitors to enhance their engagement while building up an exhibit system. 3. Innovative Electronic Material of Flexible Speaker There are nume rous technologies and products related to fle xible e lectronics. Fle xib le electronics is sort of general term for using organic materia l, printing manufacturing process, Electron ic Circuit, Optoelectronic Co mponents, or the technology of setting on Fle xib le Substrate with low cost and the characteristics of being fle xible [3]. In specific , the researcher introduces here the FleXpeake r™ as one kind of significant innovative electronic materia ls. It developed by Fle xib le Electronics Pilot Lab of IT RI, Ta iwan; Fle Xpeake r™ is one of fle xib le electronics applications , which helps ITRI received the Wall Street Journal’s 2009 Technology Innovation Award [4] [5]. The technology utilizes paper and metal layers as the materia l with a thickness of less than 0.1 c m and uses standard printing for large-size paper-thin fle xib le speaker mass production. The great sound quality covers a range of 20 to 200 kHz. It is especially good for high -frequency sounds such as the chirps of birds and in sects, where fidelity equals or e xceeds that of conventional speakers [6]. In addition, the Fle Xpeaker™ uses only 10% as much power of conventional speakers, ma king it environmentally friendly. The new technology will bring the acoustic speaker industry into a brand-new era, and help create revolutionary consumer products such as me mo ry cards with voice capabilit ies and ultra-thin M P3 p layers. It could even be incorporated into other products that are integrated into exhib it designs, green buildings, electric vehic les, entertain ment and medica l devices. The technology of Fle Xpeaker™ will help create new lifestyles and cater to the pursuit of personalized, social and cultura l, as we ll as humanized applications [7]. 4. Results and Discussion For the pulse o f the t imes and trends, the researcher would like to discuss how the curators has emp loyed integrated innovation in e xhibit ion design, since 2014, and delving further into the new media as the carrier in Sun Yun-Suan Me morial Museum, Taipe i. Ne w shapes of exh ibition objects have served as communicat ion media so that the images and sounds can be mixed used on the creations, and formed by projecting, fra ming, in laying, attaching, hanging, and erecting (Fig.1). There are mixing of innovative technologies and devices installed in the exh ibition roo m. For instances, the curator uses one ultra-short throw projector, hidden rightly in the rea r of one piece of the glass -board, to deliver information that represents a virtual television screen on the glass (Fig. 2 & 3) . In fact, the device o f the “Ultra -short Throw Pro jector” was developed by Delta Electronics, Inc., Taiwan. Advances in Technology Innovation, vol. 1, no. 1, 2016, pp. 21 - 24 23 Copyright © TAETI Fig. 1 The diversity of e xhib ition sites at Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum in Taipei Fig. 2 Using one “Ultra -short Throw Projector” to deliver info rmation wh ich was hided rightly in the rear of the glass -board Fig. 3 Representing a virtual television screen in the front of the glass -boards in the exhib it room Fig. 4 Life photography printed upon both sides of the surface of paper-thin Fle Xpeaker™ to dedicate that Sun leaded Taiwan Power Co mpany in restoring the power network in Taiwan In addition, the curator introduces the economic-industrial contribution of the e x-Pre mier of R.O.C., Sun, Yun-Suan, who managed a staff of several hundred at Taipan Power Co mpany, and was able to get 80% of the power network in Ta iwan (destroyed during the World War II) restored in five months in the year of 1946 [8]. His biographical social-conte xtual data are visualized and transcoded into specific images and life photography printed upon both sides of the surface of paper-thin FleXpeake r™ (Fig. 4) as we ll as with sound effects to stimulate visitors’ imag ination of the events, the time and the underlying environment. Therefo re, Sun Yun-Suan Me morial Museum ca me out the integration of arts -design-expertise in creating new exhibit experiences with technology. 5. Conclusions Refe rred to the idea of pa rtic ipatory e xhibit-design, the Sun Yun-Suan Me moria l Advances in Technology Innovation , vol. 1, no. 1, 2016, pp. 21 - 24 24 Copyright © TAETI museum helps its visitors to take part in the e xperience of converging sound, images and documentary data by mixing a series of contemporary innovative technologies and devices. The reproduction of contemporary sounds and images leads to the hyperreal scenes at the exh ibit ion spaces in the museum where sounds and images are produced, copied and stimulated in a way that mimetic cannot be told apart from the orig inal data. Just as “Simu lations” of Jean Baudrillard [ 9], the digita l visual communicat ion media and digital interface changed into various ways and forms. However, it shows the hybrid of contemporary images and sounds. The creations are within the ran ge of the Post-modernism, wh ich stress on the interdisciplinary and inter-te xtua l of se miotic translations. With a collaborative mu lti-disciplinary schema, we have the co mprehensive knowledge and means address to problems. He re the curators need to work with historians, visual designers, web developers, user expe rience designers, and information designers in o rder to enhance the exhibit design can be extre me ly powerful in creating the kinds of tools or vehicles that visitors will not only need but will be able to effectively use. There is critical to emp loying a meta-design fra mework, ensuring that the exh ibit environ ment enables end-users to engage in in formed part icipation. The communicat ion system and devices developed in the exhib ition should be integrated in consultation with those end-users , as museum’s visitors . Acknowledgement The support of the 2014-2015 IT RI’s curating team working with the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum is gratefully acknowledged. References [1] L. Manovich, The Language of the Ne w Media, New York: MIT Press , 2001. [2] P. H. Su, “The aesthetics on meta-interpretation and hyperreal: An e xperimental converging practice of sounds, images and data applied in Sun Yun-Suan Me morial Museum, Taipei,” SID 2015 Confe rence of Sounds, Images and Data, New York Unive rsity, Steinhardt School, U. S., July 2015. [3] J. C. Yeh, “The applicat ions of fle xib le electronics go everywhere in the future,” Co mpoTech China, pp. 39-41, Oct. 2011. (in Chinese) [4] ITRI, Fle xib le Electronics Pilot Lab. Retrieved from https://www.itri.org.t w/eng/Content/MsgPi c/Contents.aspx?SiteID=1&M mmID=6177 54414641431112&MSid=6177544376336 12573 (2016/ 02). [5] ITRI, “2012 IT RI Fo ru m: Ne w Technologies and Venture Capital.” No.69, 2nd Quarter 2012. Retrieved from: https://www.itri.org.t w/eng/Content/Public ations/contents.aspx?&SiteID=1&M mmID =617731525164776565&MSid=61776236 2453772447 (2016/ 02). [6] ITRI, Innovations and Applications_Smart Living_Smart Endpoints_ FleXpeake r™. Retrieved from: https://www.itri.org.t w/eng/Content/MsgPi c01/ Contents.aspx?SiteID=1&M mmID=62 0651706136357202&MSid=62102402525 7654754 (2016/ 02). [7] ITRI, “ Kevin Kelly: ‘I Was Ama zed by ITRI’s Innovations.’” No.69, 2nd Quarter 2012. Retrieved from https://www.itri.org.t w/eng/Content/Public ations/contents.aspx?&SiteID=1&M mmID =617731525164776565&MSid=61776236 3015606130 (2016/ 02). [8] E. L. Yang, The biography of Sun Yun-Suan, Taipei: Common Wealth Magazine Press, 1989. (in Chinese) [9] J. Baudrillard, Simu lacra and Simulat ion (Sheila Glaser T rans), U. S.: Un iversity of Michigan Press, 1994. (Original work published in 1981).