SBIR Phase II: Interactive Multi-Touch Collaborative Table for Classrooms

这项小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段奖建议开发一种带有对象跟踪和智能表面设备的多点触摸台，以创建一个高度通用的增强现实实验台。由此产生的仪器允许使用物理实验室设备(如弹道探头、显微镜、烧杯和热板)进行协作实验，并结合实时测量、分析和图形内容。与塔夫茨大学和地区教育工作者合作，展示了一种新的实验室设备模型。有效利用负担得起的技术提供了学生理解科学所需的途径、支持和支架，并为STEM(科学、技术、工程和数学)的创造性机会感到兴奋。STEM-Table将与传统教学结合使用，但利用了广泛的新的多媒体增强的互动，从而将STEM课堂转变为一个更具动手能力和响应能力的环境，并阐明了更全面的科学理解所需的联系。更广泛/更商业的影响是：(1)创造教室就绪、大格式、多点触摸的STEM-Table为STEM教学实验室带来独特的、有形的互动体验；(2)多点触摸STEM实验室设备使各种学习能够结合数据收集和动手实验室技能与虚拟媒体；以及(3)多点触控环境将为教室提供协作STEM活动的新范例，具有成本、功能和工作量减少的优势。在这项拟议的工作中，一个完全商业化的STEM桌子“多科学增强现实实验台”产品将与相关的有形实验室设备和表面设备一起部署。这项技术将在课堂上进行测试，并将通过扩展的应用程序支持用户社区。根据用户和市场对最新评估的核心技术的反应，该产品将在当前教育实验室设备中占据强大的市场地位，并为STEM教育带来显著的好处。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II award proposes to develop a multi-touch table with object tracking and smart surface devices to create a highly versatile augmented-reality lab bench. The resulting instrument allows collaborative experimentation using physical lab equipment such as ballistic pucks, microscopes, beakers, and hot plates, combined with real-time measurement, analysis, and graphical content. Working with Tufts University and area educators, a new model of lab equipment has been demonstrated. The effective use of affordable technologies provides the access, supports, and scaffolds that students need to make sense of science and become excited by STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) creative opportunities. STEM-Table will be used in conjunction with traditional instruction, but leverage a wide range of new multimedia enhanced interactions, thereby transforming the STEM classroom into a more hands-on and responsive environment and elucidating the connections needed for fuller scientific understanding.The broader/commercial impact is that (1) creating the classroom-ready, large-format, multi-touch STEM-Table brings unique, tangible interactive experiences to STEM Teaching Labs; (2) multi-touch STEM lab equipment enables a wide range of learning that combines data collection and hands-on lab skills with virtual media; and (3) the multi-touch environment will provide classrooms with a new paradigm for collaborative STEM activities with cost, capabilities, and workload reduction advantages. In the proposed work a fully-commercialized STEM Table "Multi-Science Augmented Reality Lab Bench" product will be deployed with associated tangible lab equipment surface devices. This technology will be classroom-tested and a user community will be supported with expanded applications. Based on the user and market reaction to the core technology evaluated to-date, this product will provide both a strong market position among current educational lab equipment and significant STEM education benefits.