Safari Steve, have you had a chance to check out the new exhibit now that it's officially open? I found the following article regarding it on the Orlando Sentinel website.
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Orlando Sentinel link to article.
Epcot exhibit is a smash
Published March 1, 2003
If you have ever had the urge to throw a brick at your TV set, you're not alone.
Testers at Underwriters Labs Inc., whose ubiquitous "UL" marks can be found on billions of products around the world, regularly bash TV tubes to make sure they won't erupt in an explosion of flying glass.
Underwriters Labs, which works with government regulators, insurers and manufacturers to test the safety of all kinds of products, is now inviting the public to try its hand at breaking things, without the resulting hazards or feelings of remorse when they succeed.
UL's "Test the Limits Lab," which opened Friday in Epcot's Innoventions at Walt Disney World, was designed to be an interactive, kid-powered test lab, though adults are also allowed to let off steam by smashing stuff.
The exhibit gives Epcot visitors a feel for how UL annually tests 18,750 products, resulting in the application of 17 billion UL marks on goods that make the grade.
The company tests everything from spray-on tanning lotion, which can get in the eyes, ears and nose, to techie gizmos like virtual-reality-game gear that can leave the user feeling disoriented if not properly designed.
"We want people to be able to relax and enjoy life," said Barbara Guthrie, an electrical engineer and UL's director of consumer affairs.
"We want you to have a warm and cozy feeling, knowing UL is there looking out for dangerous products."
Youngsters were busy Friday at Epcot at six kiosks, getting a hands-on feel for how products are tested for safety.
A focus of the activity was the Shatter Lab, where youngsters yanked a rope attached to a hammer, which crashed into a television tube.
The TV didn't break, but in the event of a set being struck in your family's den, the tube is designed to implode. That is, the glass would be sucked inward and wouldn't cut those in the room -- a safety measure that grew out of UL testing years ago.
At the nearby Impact Lab, visitors punched a button, causing a large magnet to drop a 55-gallon drum on a firefighter's helmet.
The drum struck with a loud "thwack" but didn't damage the helmet, which is designed to withstand a much heavier load.
Another kiosk, the Slam Lab, demonstrated the reliability of fire doors, tested by UL to open and shut without a hitch 100,000 times. Young testers gleefully jumped up and down on rubbery pads, causing the doors to open and close.
Behind the Epcot fun and games is a 109-year-old company, based near Chicago, that derives its revenue from manufacturers who submit their products for testing.
As products become more complex, UL must seek new technology to perform its safety checks.
For example, new scanners used at airports to examine luggage contain powerful X-ray technology, said Ted Hall, UL's chief technology officer. "We make sure they don't give off a dangerous level of radiation as they look inside bags and suitcases," he said.
The company plans to increase its research and development 10-fold in the next few years to keep pace with the rapid advance of product technology.
"Right now, computers and electronic devices use silicon semiconductors," he said. "In the future, they will use tiny molecular transistors and other forms of nanotechnology, which are much, much smaller than today's chips."
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