Photograph by Celine Grouard for Fast Company.
An afternoon at the playground might be the perfect time to introduce kids to physics. SciPlay, part of the New York Hall of Science, is working to develop an app to teach middle school students the Newtonian mechanics of the playground. FastCoDesign reports:
The SciPlay app is essentially an annotated video: Using an iPad, you film motion–running, jumping, swinging, sliding, throwing a ball, etc.–and the app visualizes the basic science at work, pinpointing moments and levels of velocity, acceleration, energy, and force. Through manually tracing the arc of motion of the ball or person, or by using sensor data from the iPod attached to a ball or a kid’s belt, it superimposes the force diagrams that make up the backbone of any classroom physics lesson on real-life situations. Continue reading…
According to the article, the developers plan to integrate the app into public and private school curricula by fall 2015.
How about an app that teaches kids the basic Newtonian mechanics of driving so that they don’t grow up into idiot adults who drive dangerously.
Some examples: Show them that one to two car lengths isn’t enough distance between vehicles at 40mph let alone 70. Show them the impact of reaction time and distraction on their ability to drive safely.
Forget the playground. Start prepping these kids for adulthood before they’re young adults.