Explore the Microscopic World With AR Micro Blocks, The Augmented Reality Enabled Microscope for Smart Devices by Eastcolight

By AIT News Desk On Jul 9, 2021

AR Micro Blocks, a modular microscope set, uses magnetically connected pieces to transform smart devices into microscopes, macro-cameras and slide projectors. Science comes to life easily and vividly with this easy-to-use set.

Today, Eastcolight, a worldwide leader in the educational toy market launches AR Micro Blocks, an AR-enabled modular microscope. With a smart device, AR Micro Blocks modules combine to serve three purposes: microscope, macro-photography and projector.

The standard microscope hasn’t changed, and access to this expensive equipment has traditionally been limited to the classroom. While students eye a return to schools later this year, the need to foster a love of learning and a curiosity for science remains important outside the classroom. STEM tools that are user-friendly, portable and encourage hands-on learning are often reserved only for the elite. Microscopes intended for children are often of poor quality. This stymies their curiosity and limits the learning and exploring that can take place.

AR Micro Blocks is an AR-enabled modular microscope built to work with smartphones and tablets. Taking advantage of technology already in most homes, AR Micro Blocks uses magnetically connected pieces to provide a closer look at the world. Leverage macro-photography, slide and liquid viewing microscopes, and a slide projector with the modular components.

Employment in STEM-related jobs is expected to grow by more than 8% according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, surpassing job growth in non-STEM fields. Fostering a love of STEM subjects will set children up for success in an increasingly technical world.

“Children are naturally curious about the world around them, but the toys and tools we give them to use don’t always nurture that curiosity,” said Johnny Sze, Director and Vice General Manager of Eastcolight. “AR Micro Blocks uses augmented reality and magnetic modular microscope components to encourage exploration outside of the lab setting so learning can take place anywhere.”

With AR Micro Blocks, the microscopic world comes to life in a child’s hands, and can even be projected on their walls. The 60x lens paired with the slide holder and a phone’s flashlight turns the slide viewer into a projector for wall-sized viewing. The AR-enabled pre-prepared slides let either plankton, viruses or bacteria come to life when the slides are inserted. The smartphone app creates a laboratory that houses all of the organisms a child learns about. Kids can also create their own slides to examine things like stream water, dust, sand and flower pollen. The macro-photography settings allow kids to get up close and personal with leaves, bugs, flowers, money and more. An included user guide offers suggestions to get started.

Every AR Micro Blocks kit includes three objective lenses, an illuminator, a slide holder, a device mount, blank and pre-prepared slides, tweezers, a pipette and more. The lenses offer 60x, 150x and 300x magnification levels and are optimized for smartphones to offer high optical quality and a reduced size for portability. The illuminator provides an essential light creating an experience similar to that of a traditional microscope. The slide block allows users to insert industry-standard sample slides to view objects up close, and the device mount slides over the front or rear camera to get the process started.