Boston's Museum Of Science Unveils Virtual Q&A Exhibit On Coronavirus
BOSTON (AP/CBS) - Boston's Museum of Science and a top Harvard University health expert have teamed up to make it easier for anyone anywhere in the world to get answers to their burning questions about the coronavirus pandemic.
The interactive exhibit, featuring Dr. Ashish Jha and using artificial intelligence technology, was unveiled at the museum and online Monday.
"Ask a Virtual Expert: COVID Conversations with Dr. Jha" allows the curious both on-site and remotely to ask a digital image of Jha a multitude of questions about COVID-19. The answers are based on Jha's responses to more than 550 questions.
The museum's goal is to make complex scientific topics accessible, museum president Tim Ritchie said in a statement.
"The suite of COVID exhibit content we present in the museum and online — especially the opportunity to have a "personal" conversation with an AI version of one of the world's leading public health scientists — does just that," said Richie.
Jha is a professor of global health at Harvard and director of the Harvard Global Health Institute. Dr. Jha has written extensively on the importance of international agencies like the World Health Organization and how they can be made more effective in infectious disease outbreaks.
"Collaborating with the Museum of Science on this experience was, for me, an extraordinary opportunity to reach people — children and adults alike — with fact-based information about health policy, disease transmission, the importance of masks and social distancing and global efforts to combat COVID-19," Dr. Jha said in a statement.
The presentation is available on the Museum of Science website or in person with a Museum Exhibit Halls admission, but reserved, timed tickets are highly encouraged. Seating is limited to allow safe distancing for visitors.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
