Overview

TellUs is a national research and development project that explores the intersection of interactive visualization, conversational AI, and pedagogy. The centerpiece of the project is a physical visualization globe that takes on the persona of "The Talking Planet." By visualizing complex Earth and space data directly on a spherical surface, the globe makes abstract scientific concepts tangible and immersive.

The project is a collaboration between Linköping University, Visualiseringscenter C, and the national WISDOME consortium, reaching schools across Sweden to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

The Conversational Globe

Unlike static displays, TellUs acts as a dialogue partner for students. Using an AI-enabled system developed at Linköping University, students can ask the globe questions—ranging from "How did Earth form?" to "Does it rain diamonds on Jupiter?"—and receive both verbal explanations and synchronized visual data representations.

This multi-sensory approach is based on the principle that learning is reinforced when students can see and hear explanations simultaneously.

Outreach and Research

TellUs is designed as a mobile laboratory, bringing high-tech visualization directly into the classroom. The project focuses on several key areas:

• Immersive Learning: Investigating how interactive globes can support visual communication and creative processes.
• Co-Design: Developing content in iterative steps alongside teachers and students (grades 1–6) to ensure educational relevance.
• Pedagogical Impact: Studying classroom observations and student interactions to understand how AI-driven dialogue sparks curiosity in STEM fields.

Content and Development

As developers, our team focuses on creating a diverse library of content for the globe, including:

• Interactive Exhibits: Real-time data layers showing plate tectonics, climate shifts, and planetary surfaces.
• Narrative Movies: Visual storytelling tailored for spherical projection.
• School Programs: Structured lesson plans that include preparatory and follow-up activities to anchor the experience in the school curriculum.

Through partnerships with science centers like Universeum, Curiosum, and Tekniska museet, TellUs serves as a flagship for how advanced visualization technology can be decentralized from museums and integrated directly into everyday learning environments.