Rebuilding humans using bionics
Activities
Other activities
The bionic body: Teaching guide (Public Broadcasting Service, USA)
Activity 1: Coordinated control – students observe some of the challenges of coordinated control using a constructed circuit. They then relate this to electrical stimulation and control of muscles.
Activity 2: Nuclear transplants – students model the removal of a cell nucleus and its insertion into another cell to learn about stem cell technology.
Activity 3: Uncovering a signal – students compare and contrast electroencephalogram recordings.
Discovery Education (USA)
The real bionic man – students discuss bionics and compare the parts of a bionic eye to the parts of a real eye.
Science upd8 (UK)
Bionic vision – students compare the parts of the natural eye to a bionic eye. They then evaluate having a bionic eye.
Innovation – Life, inspired. For teachers. (Public Broadcasting Service, USA)
How to make an artificial organ – a series of 14 lessons in which student groups build a model of an artificial organ or limb and present it to the class. (Note: This activity requires the video The human body shop but could be adapted for use without the video).
Learning network (The New York Times, USA)
In the eyes of the beholder – students learn about the structure and function of the eye, dissect an eye and discuss eye diseases. They then learn about retinal implants and produce a poster on an eye disease and technology aids for the disease.
Blind people with eye damage may someday use chips to see – the article referred to in the above activity. (Note: More recent retinal implant information is available in Box 1: Focusing on bionic eyes and Further reading).
External sites are not endorsed by the Australian Academy of Science.
Posted May 2010.