A 360° immersive room at the new Central Library will be transformed into a microscopic world, with everyday objects magnified to reveal the intricate detail of the unseen world, plus robots, interactive exhibits and hands-on workshops that are all part of an exciting week of half-term events.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham are showcasing a range of exciting technologies and innovations with 'Nottingham Under the Microscope' taking over the immersive room from the 21st October – 1st November and Future Makers offering robotic fun on the 23rd October.
Nottingham Under the Microscope will take over the 360° immersive room at Central Library to transport children into a microscopic world with an array of images of everyday objects shown in detail not usually seen. They have been created with a powerful microscope that magnifies images to many times smaller than the width of a single human hair.
On Wednesday 23rd October the Future Makers event will feature scientists from the University of Nottingham and local enthusiasts showcasing their innovative work in robotics and emerging technology. The event will feature Matilda, the legendary House Robot from UK TV show Robot Wars, pilot robots in the pop-up arena, and discover Collaborative robots (cobots) from the University of Nottingham's pioneering Cobot Maker Space.
Nottingham Under The Microscope will feature scientists from the Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre (nmRC) who have created images under the themes of pollen, plants, animals, insects and food and drink. Each theme has 6-8 interactive microscopy images that visitors can touch to learn more about the object or be tested on what they think the image is.
The images have been created using a technique called Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). This is a powerful tool used to visualise the micro- and nano-structures of materials. It works by using a beam of negatively charged particles, called electrons, to scan the surface of the material, creating high-resolution images that show details as small as a few nanometres. One nanometre is approximately one hundred thousand times smaller than the width of a single human hair.
It's always incredible to see people's reactions to seeing everyday objects in such magnified detail, often they are surprised as the images aren't what they expect. These events are a fantastic way to showcase the technology and expertise we have at the University and hopefully inspire some future scientists
The Future Makers event will take visitors on a journey into the future, with the opportunity to see robot technology, look at everyday items at a microscopic detail, learn about 3D printing and how technology is helping to improve the lives of people living with Tourettes Syndrome. Fun and practical activities will be available throughout the event with the chance to develop coding through micro:bits and ozbots, make simple circuits, discover exciting new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) projects and create themed crafts to take home.
Some of the robots available include Robin, a humanoid style robot with poseable head and arms, with on-board audio and video that can be used for speech and face recognition and Spot, a Boston Dynamics dog-like mobile robot.
The development of robot technology is moving at pace with robots sometimes viewed with suspicion or seen as intimidating. We're looking forward to showcasing Cobot Maker Space's robotics collection and for public audience, of all ages, to see human-robot interactions first-hand and discover how we are using this research to help solve problems and enhance human experiences.
The Future Makers event is delivered in partnership with the Institute for Policy and Engagement at the University of Nottingham, Nottingham City Libraries and STEM City Nottingham. The event forms part of the University's public engagement activities, focusing on supporting Nottingham's journey to be recognised as a UNICEF child friendly city by making academic research accessible to all ages.
It has been an absolute pleasure watching the Nottingham Under the Microscope collaboration come to fruition; seeing things like hedgehog spines and pollen under the microscope has been full of surprises. We're very proud to be launching this exhibition alongside the Future Makers event, which is set to bring robot wars, robot dogs, and robot innovation into the building! Join us, it'll be a fantastic day.
All of the events are family friendly and free to attend.
