Dilo Dome Project

REMINDER

The award of a £1,000 announced in the 1st August 2007 issue of the Newsletter is still on offer for the design of a DILO DOME in which youngsters can have a simulated dolphin experience.

The new design will replace the inflatable plastic model, which has been on trial, and proved very successful in a wide range of test situations, including a school for children with special needs. However, tests showed that it was vulnerable to



	The first prototype Dilo Dome was launched at Southwood Middle School, Milton Keynes. The students cheered when the Head Master, Mr Schram popped his head out of the top of the dome.

deliberate or accidental punctures by dysfunctional children.
It was decided therefore to have a competition for the design and production of a new, more robust, Dilo Dome that would be less vulnerable to damage.

SIMULATED DOLPHIN EXPERIENCES

When Wolfram Schulz was painting this image for the Dilo Dome Project he said he could feel his life changing. By saying this Wolfram makes the point that the very act of creating dolphin images can have an influence on the artist as well as the viewer.

It is now known that swimming with dolphins can bring great benefits to children with a wide variety of special needs. But swimming with dolphins can be very expensive and is only accessible to a tiny proportion of children who could benefit.


	The aim of this award is to make simulated dolphin experiences available to all children everywhere.

Recreating the benefits

It has been shown that it is possible to capture and recreate the spiritual essence of dolphins that can have beneficial effects on the human mind. The Dolphin Dreamtime does it with music. Stories and pictures about a fictional dolphin I created named Dilo have been shown to help children with learning difficulties.

Dilo Dome

Based on these and other observations I devised the concept of a portable dome, called the Dilo Dome, inside which youngsters can have a variety of simulated dolphin experiences.

Thanks to the sterling efforts of Graham Bloy, who spent hours scouring the internet, a small inflatable plastic dome was located that proved to be an excellent prototype.

Research

A flier explaining what a Dilo Dome is, how it works and who will benefit was distributed to those taking part in a research programme to explore the practical use of a prototype and evaluate its efficiency.

Prototype Trials

Trials of the first prototype in the shape of an inflatable igloo fabricated from translucent pale blue plastic decorated with Dilo images have been very successful. They demonstrate clearly that the principle of providing a dome shaped space inside which children can have beneficial dolphin experiences is sound.

Creativity

Creating images to go on the outside and inside the dome was enjoyed by the children and the adults who supervised them

Shortcomings

Trials of the prototype revealed shortcomings that need to be overcome in any future designs. Firstly, being inflatable and made of plastic it is vulnerable to punctures, accidental and deliberate - especially by children with special needs. Some users objected to the smell of the plastic and felt it was an unsuitable material. Despite its deficiencies, the prototype was enthusiastically acclaimed by both children and adults.

An underwater Den

Although intended primarily for children with special needs it became immediately apparent wherever the prototype dome was put on display that children of all abilities relished playing in it. Adults joined in the fun too.
All kids like dens.
To those playing inside the Dome it became an underwater den in which they could invent games and fantasies.




	Adults and children alike enjoyed the Dilo Dome experience.


	Personal Sanctuary


	For some solitary special needs children the prototype Dilo Dome became a personal, private sanctuary inside which they could be still or play with familiar toys. Some chose to lie quietly listening to dolphin sounds and stories. Others sat and watched mesmerised by films of dolphins swimming on a portable DVD player.

What is needed?

For some children, such as those who are severely autistic, a simple dome decorated with Dilo and other images is all that is required. Such children do not like change. So firstly they should be allowed to become slowly familiarised with the dome inside and out. When this has been accomplished the Dilo Dome will become a sanctuary inside which they will feel secure and can be left in safely whilst being observed discretely from outside.
For more proactive children toys and art materials can be provided to encourage them, under appropriate supervision, to create their own magical dolphin space inside the dome.

Time to go forward

The time has now come therefore for the Dilo Dome Project to move forward towards its ultimate aim, which is: to make a dolphin-like experience inside a small portable dome universally available to children of all abilities.

Open entry Entry for the award can be made by individuals (students or employees) or organisations such as colleges and tent manufacturers..

Design Features Required

The design can be as radical and innovative as you wish.

Undersea images can be created from different materials and presented in ways that create the illusion for the children inside the dome that they are in Dilo’s magic kingdom. They can be of different textures, mobile or still, with or without sound.

Some children may want to take a cuddly dolphin into the dome. For children with severe special needs, coloured images of Dilo painted on the fabric of the dome, or attached to the dome in some way, possibly stuck on the outside, will be sufficient. It should be lightweight so that it can be placed safely over a child confined to bed.

To encourage more able children to use the dome as a creative play space additional features, such as ready made or cut out turtles that can be attached to points inside the dome with Velcro, can be included. These can be prefabricated or facilities can be provided for children to create their own images with adult supervision.

The structural framework to support the dome can be internal, external or incorporated in the dome fabric itself and should be simple to assemble. The size of the dome should be approximately that of the prototype dome i.e. about 1.5 metres high and about 2 metres across the base. There should be an opening at the top as in the prototype and possibly a viewing porthole for those outside to see what’s happening inside.

There are no restrictions on the materials used. That’s up to you and will obviously be determined by the final design

Deadline

Submissions will be judged by an Operation Sunshine/IDW panel on 1st May 2008.

Submissions and Queries

The award of £1000 will be made after the submission of a design and the provision of an acceptable prototype.

Experience with "normal" children who loved being in the prototype Dilo Dome indicates that there is a large potential market for a Dilo Dome.

When the new Dilo Dome has been tested it will be offered for commercial production with an appropriate royalty to the designer.

It is suggested that entrants should first submit a rough sketch of their proposed Dilo Dome design by Email to Sonya Sitton sonya@sitton.co.uk. Sonya is looking forward to receiving your entries.

If you have any questions you can email Sonya, or call her on: 01908 671340. You can see information about Dilo and the development of the Dilo Dome so far on http://www.idw.org/html/dilo.html.

My sincere thanks go to all those who have helped bring the Dilo Dome Project to this exciting stage.

Dr Horace Dobbs, Honorary Director International Dolphin Watch

Patron Operation Sunshine www.operationsunshine.org

International Dolphin Watch 10 Melton Road, North Ferriby, E.Yorks HU14 3ET. England.
Tel: +44 (0)1482 632650 Fax: +44 (0)1482 634914 E-mail: idw@talk21.com