My name is Richard Hartnell.
I've created an automaton for RNIB which
Illustrates the capacity crisis
In treating people who've been newly diagnosed with sight loss.
An automaton is
a mechanical installation
which is rather like an illustration that moves.
It's a kinetic illustration
Eye Society is a free standing exhibit with four scenes
On the ground level the scale is very small
but as we go up the model
The scale increases so we're kind of zooming in to see some of the detail.
There are two coin slots at the bottom of the installation
The first one sets the main scene into action
starting the cars moving around the motorway that joins the two towns.
On the left hand side we have "Royal Brillchester" which is a kind of posh town.
And on the other, on the right side we have a town called Dumpington which is rather socially deprived.
So we have two towns and they feature two opticians shops.
And you can see a turntable of people going contiunuously into these shops which really illustrates
the number of customers from society which are going into these shops to have their eyes tested.
And if you look at the top of the shops you see a tube of eye balls coming out
and they rise up into the upper part of the scene.
We have inside this scene a lot of detailed models.
There are a few brands some people might recognise although I have to say I perverted them slightly.
We have "Hoots" opticians.
We have "Eyes'R'Us" who you may know.
"Spexcravers".
You might also notice there's a lorry that illustrates a well known supermarket brand and
On the side of this lorry it says "Wait Folks" and it actually illustrates the waiting times that are
a key feature of this Automaton
If we move up to the second level we can see into the consultation room.
We see a consultant sitting on one side of the desk with a patient on the other side.
The patient's waiting anxiously for news on whether he can be treated or not.
And this really illustrates the moment of truth when a consultant tells you whether you can have an operation or not.
And this is reiterated by a number of lights that are mounted on the front of the exhibit.
So you have a scene when the consultant says yes or no
And following that scene the eye balls either go up to the operating theatre or they
unfortunately drop down to this channel and go in the bin.
There's a figure in the Automaton who represents the sight loss adviser
And she comes out and catches the eye balls representing really some kind of support
Following a yes or no decision.
The waiting room is on the side of the second level of the Automaton.
There's a variety of people in the waiting room scene.
There's even a skeleton who's perhaps been waiting a bit too long.
At the start we see a young man
but by the time the scene ends his head rotates, he becomes an old man
Who's lost his sight because a lot of people are actually losing their sight waiting for treatment.
The staff member is really a little bit disgusted by this situation, you see her shaking her head.
On the top level we see a nurse, a doctor and a surgeon
depicted as headless chickens because they're just so busy they're rushed off their feet.
The top scene is a mass of whirring cogs and activity.
The headless chickens are jumping between patients, they don't know which way to turn next.
The whole situation is really to convey the kind of energy that's going into the work.
If you'd like some more information about the Automaton please visit eyesociety.org.uk where you can find some more pictures and video.
RNIB - Supporting people with sight loss