CEO – Dr. Karim Abdel-Malek Cyber Scienc…
CEO – Dr. Karim Abdel-Malek
Cyber Science 3D is an interactive tool from Cyber Anatomy Corporation for use in Biology and science classrooms where regular anatomical dissections might not be feasible. It is used with a computer and projector or 3d projector. Although fairly specialized, I do think this would be useful. Examples of this are:
1) School has a lack of funding and can’t afford specimens.
2) Students who lack the mobility/mechanical articulation and co-ordination to do a dissection in the traditional way.
3) School lacks the facilities and materials for specimen dissection and cleanup. (ie: scalpels, sinks, etc.)
4) It allows a full 360 degree view of virtual specimen(s).
5) Students can redo a dissection over again until they get it right whereas an actual lab would require more than one specimen to repeat procedures.
6) It allows students who are squeamish about real dissections to participate in the lessons more thoroughly.
Dr. Abdel-Malek is a professor of Biomedical and Mechanical engineering at the University of Iowa College of Engineering and an international expert on Simulation based experience.
I’m not a science teacher but if the costs were low enough, this seems like a no brainer as it’s clean, efficient and removes a lot of the obstacles that go along with teaching these types of lessons.
References:
http://www.cyberscience3d.com/products.php
http://www.cyberscience3d.com/ourpeople.php
http://www.cyberscience3d.com/pdf/CyberScience3D_Brochure.pdf
Peggy Lawson 6:15 pm on September 25, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Joel – Your post has me very intrigued about this product. I’m a former science teacher, and now train & manage our school division online program. I can see this product being extremely useful for our online biology courses (still to be developed). A real disadvantage of online science courses is the difficulty in replicating a true lab experience. Minus the formaldehyde, this product seemed to offer an acceptable alternative.
It’s a product I would invest in, as I see the potential for online learning, and for F2F classes where for costs and squemishness, real dissections are not a viable options. The product costs, after a very cursory look, seem reasonable.
Thanks for posting!
Peggy
jhodi 9:51 pm on September 26, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi,
As a former science student that was squeamish about dissections, I feel like this is a great idea! Not only is it clean, but it has the potential to be extremely affordable since the school can purchase the tool for multiple uses rather than purchasing various animals, etc. for dissection that are a one-time use. I also think that it can very very helpful to have a full 360 degree view of the dissection, especially if it were used with a 3-D projector. From a student’s standpoint, I would find this very engaging and motivating.
Jhodi