We successfully completed the first and second days of the PME Activity “Nanobiophysics through touch and hearing”, held on October 9 and 10 at the UTEM Science and Technology Building, located in San Joaquín.

The event was aimed at students and teachers from the Santa Lucía School of the Luz Foundation and the Hellen Keller School, which specialize in caring for children with visual disabilities.

For its implementation, three stands were set up with 3D models that present models related to nanobiophysics: water molecule, graphene cell and carbon nanotubes.

These pieces are educational, they have a system of audio tracks that respond to pressing buttons that provide information associated with each experience, and they also have a vibration and light system.

The team in charge of the activity is made up of Dr. Francisco Peña, Young Researcher at N2BP, Alfredo Navarro, in charge of modeling, design and 3D printing, and Mauricio Aravena, Electronic Engineer.

After the closing of the first day and the notable interest shown by the students, Camila Marchant, Natural Sciences Teacher at Santa Lucía School, reflected on how they were able to interact with the elements at their disposal:

“I think they were well synchronized with each other, which allowed them to coordinate vibrations with sounds, lights with contrast, which is also very important, because although they may not be able to perceive the structures in their entirety, these exchanges of lights generate movement, something more significant, so in that sense, the models were well adapted to them,” she said.

On the other hand, after the second day of the activity, Rommy Tobar, Special Education Teacher and Natural Sciences Professor at the Hellen Keller School, commented on the visit to the exhibition:

“For children, coming to a university is already an enriching experience. Being able to explore a material that they have no idea what it is like really stimulates their curiosity, they ask more questions, and they were also able to resolve some doubts. I am grateful for the initiative and that the children were able to understand things that no one can appreciate with the naked eye: something as abstract as a water molecule. In some way, this puts them on equal terms with respect to their visual impairment. It would be ideal to be able to continue collaborating with this project”.

We are grateful for the participation of the managers and members of N2BP who were able to make this beautiful activity a reality. It was inaugurated on September 25 at the UTFSM in Valparaíso and on October 9 and 10 received students from the Colegio Santa Lucía and Hellen Keller in the UTEM Science and Technology Building, located in San Joaquín.

The outcome of this experiment is expected to foster interest and potential university study in science by demonstrating that it is accessible through the use of appropriate adaptations.

We share images of the exhibitions at both establishments:

Exhibition for Santa Lucia School:

Exhibition for Hellen Keller School: