2016 Winners & Shortlists

Creative Execution

We created five ‘super-heroes’ inspired by STEM subjects, who invited young visitors to discover their own super-power through a series of digital mini games (fully networked, using Raspberry Pi, tablets and personalised with RFID). These games asked visitors to choose innovative solutions to future energy issues. Those choices decided the visitor’s STEM super-power and so their super-hero role. That role was revealed in an interactive multi-player experience on a large scale screen using motion tracking cameras built around a realtime Unity Environment. Visitors’ pride when the moment arrived to ‘Join The Energy Generation’ was evident with everyone sharing images online.

Students found the event provided an educational and stimulating learning environment. 91% of students aged 12+ found the activities made STEM more interesting; 86% of teachers rated the event as inspirational in encouraging students’ interest in STEM; 92% of the general public were likely to encourage their child or younger family members to take STEM subjects at university or college, post event. 94% of both teachers and the general public were likely to attend future editions.

The challenge was to design a museum-style experience to engage and inspire a young audience. Our insights were two fold. The need to belong to a group and identify with friends is a particularly strong inclination for younger people. So our creative idea should offer the opportunity to get involved with an ‘innovation’ team of STEM role-models. Secondly, kids are curious, by nature. So the creative concept should give visitors the chance to find something out about themselves. Our creative solution focussed on a team of five ‘super-heroes’ inspired by STEM subjects. We invited visitors to discover their own ‘super power’ by playing a series of digital mini-games. These presented them with fun energy-themed scenarios and asked them to choose an innovative solution. The choices made by each player determined their special powers and so which super-hero they would be, once invited to ‘Join The Energy Generation’.