Air Chair

 

Air Chair is a large scale, body-on, iconic exhibit. It provides visitors with firsthand experience of the power and pressure of the ambient air around us. Visitors enter a gated area and sit in a contoured chair connected to a large clear piston in a cylinder overhead. Pushing a pair of buttons, controlled air pump configured to resemble an ordinary vacuum cleaner extracts air from above the clear piston. This reduction in air pressure above the piston causes the higher pressure of the ambient air to push the piston upward lifting the visitor. Upon release of the buttons controlling the fan the visitor is safely lowered back to the ground.  The electronic controller for this exhibit incorporates several features designed to enhance both the safety and visitor throughput of this experience.