An Interactive and Multi-sensory Learning Environment for Nano Education

Swift scientific advances in the area of nanoscience suggest that nanotechnology will play an increasingly important role in our everyday lives. Thus, knowledge of the principles underlying such technologies will inevitably be required to ensure a skilled industrial workforce. In this paper we describe the development of a virtual educational environment that allows for various direct interactive experiences and communication of nanophenomena to pupils and citizens, ranging from desktops to immersive and multi-sensory platforms. At the heart of the architecture is a nanoparticle simulator, which simulates effects such as short-range interaction, flexing of nanotubes and collisions with the solvent. The environment allows the user to interact with the particles to examine their behaviour related to fundamental science concepts.