Very excited to have been part of this LifeLab session organised by Bone Research Society.
μ-VIS team worked together with Assoc. Prof. Claire Clarkin and her group to create a unique bone-themed Virtual Reality experience for c. 30 pupils from Shirley Junior School.
Students were taken into a VR tour of specimens imaged at μ-VIS which amongst others featured close encounters with a mouse skull and bones’ most abundant cells (i.e. the Osteocytes).
Activity 1: Neil MacKenzie public engagement award winner 2018: The skeleton and its functions
Lead: Dr Dimitris Vlachopoulos with Miss Stephanie Smith
- My parts of the skeleton (10 mins): Drawing exercise
- Why do I have bone? (10 mins): Playdough exercise
Activity 2 : Understanding Bone Structure
Lead: Dr Claire Clarkin, Miss Alice Goring and Miss Aikta Sharma
- ‘Looking and feeling’ (10 mins) 3D printed bones : Human ( diseased/healthy) Rat, elephant. Bone specimens: Variety available including mammoth/ dinosaur c/o Dr Neil Gostling
- Guessing bone strength (10mins): Wispa versus crunchie challenge
Activity 3: Diet, Sun and Bone Health
Lead: Dr Beth Curtis Dr Rebeccca Moon
- Calcified/ uncalcified bone specimens
- UV bead experiment
- Vitamin D/ Calcium cards
Activity 4 : ‘ Virtual reality’ bone
Lead: the μ-VIS team (Dr. Philipp Schneider, Dr. Orestis Katsamenis, Dr Richard Boardman) & Miss Alisha Sharma, Miss Katy Williams
- Bone specimens and fossils (and possibly a spider thrown in) will be seen in 3D, they can be “touched” manipulated and walked into using specialised software and head mask.
Session close: Kate Townsend‐ Woods
The event took place on Tuesday 26th June, 2018
