Novalia has designed Polyglot - The Smithsonian Futures Translator in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

This project is centred around the multi-lingual audio guide for the Smithsonian's 2022 Futures exhibition.

An experiment in communication, the guides were created by Dr Kate Stone and designer Madeleine Kelleyan from creative technology studio Novalia, collaborating with curator Ashley Molese & Ashley Meadows from the Futures team.

Polyglot is a sensory journey that guides visitors through Futures using their fingertips. The audio guide uses paper, conductive ink and a small circuit board to trigger touch-sensitive sounds, a technology developed Novalia.

By shrinking this technology until it's almost invisible, Polyglot creates moments of magic to connect the stories of Futures beyond the boundaries of language.

This project has been longlisted in the graphic design category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Designer: Novalia

Project: Polyglot - The Smithsonian Futures Translator