JoAnn Gillerman

exhibits and installations, animal conservation

Chimp Finder / LIAISON
A LIAISON SYSTEM: Live Interactive Animal Identification System and Observation Network™

Hugo                         Bakari                          Holly                         Tammy                         Jimiyu                          M'Linzi                          Cinder                         Smoke                          Group

Chimpanzee Conservation
Many species of the Great Apes are in serious danger of extinction and their numbers in the wild are staggeringly small. As co-founder of LIAISON systems, it is our hope that
this work is a liaison helping zoo visitors and the public connect directly with animals, in this case Chimpanzees through "Chimp Finder" at the St. Louis Zoo.
And by this personal connection we hope to raise public awareness for conservation of these amazing primates who are a mere two chromosomes away from us.

 

VIDEO - First Out (30 min.)

 

PRESS RELEASE - 2005
First "Chimp Finder" at the Saint Louis Zoo

Designed as a new and innovative approach, the "Chimp Finder", or Chimp LIAISON™ (Live Interactive Animal Identification System and Observation Network™) provides the Zoo visitor a connection to the animals never previously experienced. LIAISON will provide unprecedented access to the animals, their individual and group habits as well as the activity of their daily lives. Through technology being designed and developed by Viper Vertex, visitors will be able to select the animal(s) of interest, understand their interrelationships and then view a variety of information and/or "short bios" about them. The easy to use interactive display will include text/graphics and live video. The unique design of the system will make it easily accessible to all zoo visitors.

LIAISON will be introduced for the first time this spring with the debut of the Fragile Forest Exhibit at the St. Louis Zoo. Jody Gillerman (CEO of Viper Vertex) commented, "As part of the Chimp LIAISON Project we have had the privilege and opportunity to work with the staff at the Saint Louis Zoo. We are continually impressed with their vision and excitement about the project.   Working with the Zoo Keepers and learning about the specific Chimps at the Saint Louis Zoo has reinforced our belief that LIAISON will provide a much greater personal connection between the zoo visitor and these unique and intelligent animals".

The technology utilized in this project has evolved from years of experience designing exhibits that provide visitors a unique perspective on the observed environment.   Because visitors go to zoos to see animals and not technology, the LIAISON system has been designed to enhance the visitor experience without being obtrusive. The state of the art technology can provide a visitor with much of the information a Zoo Keeper might provide if they were standing there talking about their Chimps. LIAISON will educate, inform and engage the visitor.

Contact: JoAnn GIllerman/LIAISON SYSTEMS (vipervertex@gmail.com)
 
 
 
Chimp Finder/ LIAISON, is an outdoors interactive exhibit with live Chimpanzee is a Chimapnzee Recognition System
designed to let the visitors identify with individaul chimps, learn about the social order and politics of the specific chimp group, and
bring awareness to Chimpanzee Conservation in the wild. Chimp Finder was installed at the Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO.
Chimp Finder at the Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO

PLAY VIDEO (chimp portraits)