Project: Cells to Self, Exploratorium

Role: Lead Exhibit Developer

Team: Chris Cerrito, Paul Hayes, Dave Flemming

Description: The Blood-O-Meter was designed to answer a surprisingly complex question: How many blood cells are in the human body? Using a visitor’s weight, the exhibit calculates an approximate blood volume in liters, and then extrapolates the estimated number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets within their body. These staggeringly large numbers—with the average person containing 20-30 trillion red blood cells—are displayed in their entirety, offering a visceral, visual representation of the body’s cellular makeup. By making the invisible visible, the Blood-O-Meter helps visitors grasp the astonishing scale and complexity of their own biology.

Finally, visitors are presented with the number of new blood cells their body has generated since stepping onto the exhibit—calculated in real-time. With a healthy person producing 1.9–2 million new cells per second, this feature provides an immediate, dynamic insight into the constant regeneration happening within their body, reinforcing the idea that human biology is an ongoing, ever-changing process.

2019