Science You Can Dig Into

Hands-on research: An interactive exhibit makes the search for antibiotics tangible

How do you turn research into an experience?

The Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) wanted to make its work accessible to a young audience while also inspiring interest in careers in pharmaceutical basic research. At the heart of the exhibit was the search for new natural compounds from myxobacteria, a highly relevant, complex topic that needed to be communicated in an accessible, playful, and entertaining way.

Antibiotic-resistant pathogens have been spreading for years, and new active agents with resistance-breaking properties are therefore urgently needed. For the travelling exhibition ship “MS Wissenschaft”, HIPS therefore needed a unique, robust, and durable exhibit that would be easy to engage with outside a laboratory environment and introduce visitors to the logic of research.

Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS)

Research institute developing new active agents against infectious diseases.

Gamification

Project Management

Prototyping

Software Engineering

UI Design

UX Design

Hands-on research

The finished exhibit shows in a playful way how new active compounds can emerge from soil samples and why the search for antibiotics is so important. It combines a physical installation with a digital application and invites young visitors to discover scientific connections for themselves.

The search in the game mirrors the real research: through the citizen science project MICROBELIX, HIPS actively calls on people to keep searching for new myxobacteria and active agents in their own free time. The search doesn't end at the exhibit — it invites visitors to become part of HIPS research themselves.

Understanding Research on Site

During visits to the laboratories and conversations with the scientists, we worked with HIPS and our partner NUILAND to understand the day-to-day research work. An interdisciplinary team from prototyping engineering, visual design, and solution management translated these insights into initial ideas for an interactive exhibit.

From Concept to Prototype

Once the first sketches were complete and the decision had been made to create a playful digital experience, iterative prototyping began. We developed and tested different approaches for detecting and digitally evaluating plush bacteria and the RFID-equipped balls representing the simulated earth. In parallel, the exhibit was constructed in 3D and the visual design of the animations took shape.

Sketches Learning to Move

The visual language evolved from hand-drawn sketches to the final animations. We used Higgsfield.ai to bring the jointly developed vision to life. Our visual designers curated and refined the AI-assisted output throughout the process.

The Final Night Before Departure

Together with NUILAND and HIPS, we coordinated all disciplines until the exhibit left for Berlin. This included the physical construction, 3D-printed components, RFID parts, custom-made plexiglass panels, and the integration of the thermal printer. We also resolved the printer driver issue in time and assembled and tested the exhibit in a final overnight effort.

Discovering Science Through Play

A pathogen appears on the screen, represented as a bacteria monster. Visitors choose a pathogen first and receive a brief overview of the challenge. They then set out to search through the “microbial treasure chest” for suitable myxobacteria that can fight the selected pathogen.

Finding the Right Active Agent

The pathogen on the screen determines what visitors need to look for. They rummage through a mix of colourful fabric balls and plush myxobacteria modeled on digging through real soil. Once they have found a suitable candidate, they place it in the exhibit's analysis chamber.

Lively Feedback from the Analysis Chamber

The analysis chamber checks whether the selected active agent matches the pathogen on screen. Laser, light, and fog effects provide vivid feedback, turning the moment into a small spectacle. Those who find the right candidate receive a badge at the end, along with an invitation to participate in the HIPS citizen science project MICROBELIX, allowing them to experience the idea of active research beyond the exhibit itself.