Figure 32: Air vent
ULTRASOUND MODULE
The Ultrasound Module includes four components sharing two center kiosks as follows:
Each of the four components is discussed in detail in the following sections.
COMPONENT NAME – REAL STORIES / REAL SURGERY
Description
A yellow-framed activity table where visitors choose from various labeled buttons to view video (DVD) segments on actual ultrasound procedures. The visitors control this activity using three extra large yellow buttons (one each per video segment), plus one stop button.
Primary Components
The primary operational components include:
Table 1 provides further details about the above-listed primary and associated components.
Consumables / Spare Parts
Air filters are the only consumable items associated with this activity. Spare parts available are listed in Table 2.
Special Instructions
None
General Maintenance
Maintenance is easy and involves exhibit ventilation/air filtering, lighting, and general cleaning. Follow Table 3 for specific maintenance items and their frequency. Also, use the form to record that maintenance was completed.
Troubleshooting
Refer to Cryosurgery – Fast Freeze troubleshooting section regarding problems such as:
COMPONENT NAME – SOUND IN THE ROUND
Description
An octagon–shaped activity table with frosted Plexiglas top and clear Plexiglas bottom. A reservoir in the table is partly filled with mineral oil and lit from underneath. A levered tapping mechanism (protected with a rubber boot) is mounted to the top of the table. Visitors hit this mechanism, which dips a plunger with a ball at the end into the mineral oil inside the tank, creating concentric wave patterns seen as shadows on the upper frosted Plexiglas. This activity equates the pattern of propagating waves observed in the oil to sound waves traveling (objects vibrating at more cycles per second produce higher frequency sound).
Primary Components
The primary operational components include:
Table 1 provides further details about the above primary and support components.
Consumables / Spare Parts
No consumables other than air filters are associated with this exhibit. Available spare parts are listed on Table 2.
Special Instructions
Should it be necessary to remove the activity table from the exhibit floor for repairs of any kind, the mineral oil must be temporarily drained out of the reservoir. A portable holding tank with a hand pump is provided to accomplish this.
To drain the table, open the front access panel with a round barrel key and locate the drain piping and valve below the reservoir. With the drain valve still closed, connect the rubber hosing from the portable pump to the table’s drain port using the quick-connect fitting on the rubber hose end. Open the table air vent (Fig. 32) by removing the small yellow cover on the back portion of the tabletop and unscrewing the concealed steel plug (a wrench for the plug is kept in the table base). Open the drain valve and pump most of the mineral oil into the holding tank (turn the pump handle counterclockwise to pump the fluid out). Close the drain valve and disconnect the drain hose (place a rag under the connection to catch the small amount of mineral oil that will leak when breaking the connection). The activity table may then be disconnected from the center kiosk to remove it from the floor, by unlatching the two coffin locks with the tool provided and unhooking the electrical connection.
Figure 32: Air vent
Upon completing repairs and returning the activity table to the floor, connect the portable tank hosing to the table again, open the drain valve, and refill the table by turning the pump handle clockwise. Use the dipstick provided in the table base to check for the proper fill level of the mineral oil. Check the level using the dipstick through the vent opening on the tabletop.
General Maintenance
Maintenance is easy and involves exhibit ventilation/air filtering, lighting, and general cleaning. Follow Table 3 for specific maintenance items and their frequency. Also, use the form to record that maintenance was completed.
Troubleshooting
Quartz halogen lamp not lit: Replace burned out lamps from Zap spares. The lamp used is the same as those used in Endoscopes - Fiber Optic Fun. The lamp fixture is easily accessible in the table base below the mineral oil reservoir. Be careful when handling the new lamp to avoid leaving oily residue on the lamp which can cause it to burn out prematurely. Use cotton or plastic gloves. If replacing the lamp does not rectify the problem, check/replace the transformer fuse, or the transformer itself.
Rubber bellows on plunger rod is ripped: Remove the single hex head screw in the top center of the plunger rod. Next, remove six hex head screws around the base of the hammer mechanism and temporarily move this whole mechanism out of the way. Remove the four hex head screws holding the flat circular ring to the table (which holds down the base of the rubber bellows). Remove the upper slip collar from the plunger rod. Next, begin to loosen the lower slip collar (which secures the top of the rubber bellows to the plunger rod). However, be careful to hold the end of the plunger rod when completely removing the lower slip collar so that the rod does not fall down into the oil reservoir. Remove the old bellows, replace it from Zap spares, and reassemble the mechanism.
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COMPONENT NAME – TISSUE TREMORS
Description
A pinball-type activity table, where the elliptical shape of the pinball field simulates an elliptical reflector used to focus ultrasonic shock waves for breaking up kidney stones (a procedure called ultrasonic lithotripsy).
Either of two yellow buttons is used by the visitor to start an electronic presenter instructional video (DVD) track which describes such ultrasonic procedures and then challenges the visitor to perform their own simulated surgery. The visitor assembles a kidney stone mounted on a spring platform and shoots a pinball (representing ultrasonic shock waves) at any point along the elliptical table face. The elliptical surface causes the ball to always strike the springs attached to the kidney stone platform, thereby successfully breaking up the kidney stone.
Primary Components
The primary operational components include:
Table 1 provides further details about the primary and support components.
Consumables / Spare Parts
Consumable items associated with this activity consist only of air filters. The actual pinball is enclosed in the table. Although freely accessible to visitors, the kidney stone model pieces are rarely taken. Spare parts available are listed in Table 2.
Special Instructions
None
General Maintenance
Maintenance is easy and involves exhibit ventilation/air filtering, lighting, and general cleaning. Follow Table 3 for specific maintenance items and their frequency. Also use the form to record that maintenance was completed.
Troubleshooting
Shooter mechanism spring broken: Replace either the short (return) or long shooter spring from Zap spares if found to be broken. To remove the shooter mechanism mount, remove two hex head screws on the front bottom of the rotating shooter table (Fig. 33). The shooter mechanism mount will then pull forward, out of the rotating table. Pull the rubber shooter tip off of the shooter rod and remove the "c" clip to release the retaining washer and springs. Reassemble with new spring(s) and rubber shooter tip as required.
Figure 33: Shooter mount screws
Kidney stone platform spring(s) broken: Loosen the hex head screw in the top, center of the kidney stone platform base and temporarily set the base aside. Next, loosen the four larger hex head screws around the tabletop perimeter and move the panel slightly sideways (being careful not to pull the button wiring apart). Pull upward on the spring platform/springs to pull the springs out of their recessed holes. Clean the inside of the open table and inside face of the Plexiglas cover with Plexiglas cleaner before reassembly. Replace the springs from Zap spares and press them into the recessed holes. Reassemble the remainder of the tabletop.
Other problems: Refer to Cryosurgery – Fast Freeze troubleshooting section regarding problems such as:
COMPONENT NAME – VISIBLE VIBES
Description
Visitors at this activity table move their hand in front of an ultrasonic sensor. This creates a signal that is amplified and then emitted as a tone by a large speaker. The sound varies high or low depending on where the visitor’s hand is placed in front of the sensor. The sound is projected at a clear drumhead located over the horizontally mounted speaker. Multicolored beads dance/vibrate on this drumhead in response to the varying signal/sound. This demonstrates how sound waves of varying frequencies (or pitch) carry energy.
Primary Components
The primary operational components for this exhibit include:
Table 1 provides details on the above primary and associated components.
Consumables / Spare Parts
Consumable items associated with this activity consist only of air filters. Spare parts available are listed in Table 2.
Special Instructions
The ultrasound sensor is very prone to damage if the sensor membrane is touched. It is very important to keep the protective tube mounted over the sensor enclosure opening and not allow visitors to probe at the sensor membrane with items such as pencils/pens, etc.
General Maintenance
Maintenance is easy and involves exhibit ventilation/air filtering, lighting, and general cleaning. Follow Table 3 for specific maintenance items and their frequency. Also use the form to record that maintenance was completed.
Troubleshooting
Speaker/tone doesn’t turn off: First check to see if any foreign objects (paper, etc.) were stuffed into the protective tube in front of the ultrasound sensor. Be very careful not to damage the white-colored sensor membrane during removal of the object (if necessary, remove the entire top yellow and blue sensor enclosure and push the object outward from inside). If a foreign object is not the cause of the continuing tone, remove the sensor enclosure and attempt to recalibrate the "window limit" set-up on the unit as per the instructions printed directly on the sensor body. Remove the single phillips head screw on top of the sensor itself, and tilt the clear control cover upward to do the calibration (Fig. 34). For purposes herein, the two window limits are comprised of your hand placed at both extremes of the front text panel (the red dots). If recalibration of the old sensor does not resolve the problem, replace the sensor from Zap spares.
Figure 34: Window limit calibration
To replace the sensor, first remove the top yellow and blue sensor enclosure. Then, remove one hex head screw to tilt the front of the tabletop upward/backward. Unplug the cable jack from the bottom of the sensor and remove the bottom mounting nut. Install a new sensor, making sure to align the sensor so that it will point straight out of the protective tube on the sensor enclosure when reassembled. Before reinstalling the sensor enclosure, calibrate the window limits on the new sensor unit per the instructions on the sensor. Also, make sure that the sensor response speed (set screw on top of the sensor) is set at its fastest.
Colored beads not vibrating enough: Open the front activity table to access the amplifier. Turn the left volume control knob slightly clockwise to increase the tone volume. Adjust the control so that the beads vibrate satisfactorily, but do not bounce upward too much (getting caught on the lip of the clear speaker dome, which will necessitate periodic disassembly and cleaning of the dome).