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Project Progress

Yellowstone National Park Brochure and Multimedia
ABRC is using innovative cell phone technologies to meld print and electronic information while enhancing the experience of visitors to nearby Yellowstone National Park. ABRC created a visitors’ guide to Yellowstone called “Science of the Springs” that explains the astrobiology research happening in Yellowstone. Through QR codes—printed two-dimensional bar codes that look like black and white geometric designs—visitors on-site in Yellowstone’s tourist spots can use a Web-enabled smart phone to access additional multimedia content about astrobiology research. Visitors simply point their phone’s camera at a QR code in the printed visitors’ guide, which “unlocks” additional multimedia content from the Web. Those who do not have a Web-enabled smart phone can access the online multimedia files later from any computer. The multimedia includes animations and slideshows, and it is all original content made by ABRC. The guide lists all the NAI nodes as well as NAI’s international partners. It will be distributed at tourist sites that serve as gateways to Yellowstone National Park. The guide is also available as a PDF online at http://abrc.montana.edu/outreach/.