The East Lansing-based nanotechnology company, Nanobrick, is
on the verge of commercializing a series of interactive toys that teach kids of
all ages about nanotechnology.
Nanobrick uses hands-on “toys” to show kids what
nanotechnology is and how it works as a system. For example, rather than just
explaining why electricity makes a person’s hair stand up, Nanobrick allows
kids to experience the process that creates static electricity by using a
Lego-based, hand-held electric generator called the Van de Graaff Generator.
“Instead of an end result, they see how it all goes together,”
says Nanobrick's president, Zahida Aslam.
High school and undergraduate students can design
different configurations of the generators to study materials, computer science
and engineering, mechanical engineering and microsystems engineering.
Nanobrick’s prototypes have already been used at Okemos
High School. Michigan State University (MSU) undergraduate and graduate
students also find the technology useful. Nanobrick is working with a toy
company to commercialize its products.
Source: Clarke Anderson, Nanobrick
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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