[Special Feature] Educational Kit for Science and Mathematics Learning such as Science and Technology Experiments and Programming-Active in High School Education

Overseas, including the United States, the concept of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education was adopted from an early stage with the aim of developing human resources who will play an active role in the future world where IT and globalization are advancing.

In Japan, programming education at elementary schools in 2020 and junior high schools will become compulsory in 2021, and from 2002, high schools that have adopted an educational policy that emphasizes science and technology and science and mathematics education will be introduced in the field of high school education. , We have established our own system such as accreditation as SSH (Super Science High School).

Programming Education / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/zyouhou/detail/1375607.htm
Super Science High School (SSH) / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/jinzai/gakkou/1309941.htm

It is said that these efforts are not only intended to develop human resources who are strong in science and technology and science and mathematics, but also to develop the ability of logical thinking.In addition, as a learning method for that purpose, many manufacturers sell educational kits based on technologies in the fields of science and mathematics such as engineering and programming.

This time, we will introduce educational kits that are popular in Unipos for such science and mathematics learning, mainly for high schools (*) (* Mainly those that were actually inquired by high school users. ).

Learn Neuroscience, Backyard Brains Products

Neuroscience is regarded as a field of natural science, but recently, technology that connects the brain and computers through detection of brain waves, etc. BCI (Brain-Computer Interface), Etc., are also attracting attention from the engineering field.An educational kit with the vision of "democratize neuroscience" for this field, where it is difficult to obtain opportunities to learn in the field of elementary and secondary education due to the specialized field. Has been developed by US companies Backyard Brains.

The Heart and Brain SpikerBox

Heart and Brain Spiker Box is a kit that can display and record electrocardiograms (EKG) and electroencephalograms (EEG) of yourself and your classmates.By attaching the electrodes connected to the small board to your body, you can display them in real time on the screen of your smartphone or tablet.

For example,
What kind of changes will occur in the electrocardiogram before and after exercising?
What kind of changes occur in brain waves when the eyes are closed, etc.
You can learn through experiments.

Backyard brains' website has a lot of materials for conducting experiments that are easy to understand with many illustrations.

Backyard brains Neuroscience Experiments for Everyone
https://backyardbrains.com/experiments/

In addition, we will introduce a video of Backyard Brains' "unique" kit.

Huma-Human Interface
Experiment to "move another person's arm" using muscle signals

The Claw
Experiment to grab / release an object with a scissors-type device by expanding and contracting the muscles of one's arm

The TED video by Greg Gage, one of the founders of Backyard Brains, uses the Backyard Brain device. Click here for TED video ↓
Greg Gage | Speaker | TED

Learn autonomous driving, Donkey Car Starter Kit

Society 5.0 However, "autonomous driving" is an important technology.A kit that allows you to learn how it works Donkey Car Starter Kit .

"Donkey Car" is an open source DIY autonomous driving platform for small vehicles such as radio-controlled cars.By operating a radio-controlled car equipped with this Donkey Car and a small camera, accumulating information on driving, and letting AI learn the learning model created by them (Deep Learning), autonomous driving of the radio-controlled car is possible.

Autonomous driving, overtaking a radio-controlled car running in front (Passing) A state of a Donkey Car running (around 0:10)

The Donkey Car Starter Kit is a ready-to-use introductory set that includes a radio-controlled car that has been confirmed to work with the platform Donkey Car, a Raspberry Pi (small board), a camera compatible with the Raspberry Pi, and assembly parts. is.In the video, the course is run with tape on the floor, but there is also a "Standard Stack" that can be folded and stored with the course printed on a vinyl sheet.

Another kit that you can learn about autonomous driving is "DuckietownWill also be introduced.
Please refer to the introduction video by our staff.

* Demo machines are also rented out at the rental service "Rental Tegakari".

Touch Designer, where you can experience programming through video production

Although it is different from the educational "kit", the software for projection mapping is actually the most inquired by users belonging to high school.

You might think "projection mapping is science learning ??", but now widely recognized projection mapping is also a familiar tool for touching programming (I want to try projection mapping at a school festival). I often hear people say that!).Also, in recent years when computer graphics have become widespread in the field of art, the keyword "STEAM education", which is the addition of Art to the STEM education mentioned at the beginning, has become common.

Please refer to Touch Designer Is a visual development platform that enables projection mapping, interactive visualization, and lighting control at events.It uses its own node-based visual programming, so you can create your work without having to write any code.Another point is that there is an Educational version for teachers / students.

Creating projection mapping using TouchDesigner

Software with a high share in the world as a projection mapping tool Mad Mapper We also handle it.This is also software that receives many inquiries even at Unipos.

Other educational products

Robot arm

The desktop robot arms sold by each manufacturer include a function to move the robot arm directly by hand to learn its movements and a visual programming language Blockly that builds operation instructions by combining colorful blocks for educational purposes. Many of them have a mechanism that allows you to easily operate the robot arm by using it.

(From left, Niryo One / uArm Swift Pro / Dobot Magician)

Some of the desktop robot arms handled by Unipos are summarized on the following page.Please refer if you like.

SBC (single board computer)

The "Raspberry Pi" is famous as a single board computer for education.Developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the United Kingdom for programming learning and IoT development in the classroom. Check out the great introductory video from the manufacturer about the Raspberry Pi.

* You can switch the subtitles to Japanese from the settings (gear mark).

The latest version is Raspberry Pi 4.

Summary

Every day, elaborate products are released by manufacturers all over the world so that children can become familiar with "science and technology is interesting" through experiments.

Even if the product is not listed in Unipos, if you let us know the product you want, "Can we handle this as well?", We will check the availability and make an estimate.Please feel free to contact us.