Hitachi High-Tech held a remote outreach class for 38 first year high school students at Toyo University Ushiku Junior and Senior High School Wednesday October 19th. The theme was biomimetics and a tabletop electron microscope was utilized for the class.

First the students learned how the principles behind characteristics with which living organisms are born, such as water repellency, non-reflectivity and structural color, can be clarified by examining their microstructure using an electron microscope, then they experienced the remote operation of an electron microscope for themselves. They were fascinated to observe objects such as an IC chip and an eggshell, seeing how far they could magnify them with the electron microscope, and investigating the structure of the parts that interested them.

The week after the outreach class, biology and physics teachers held a session where the students gave presentations about what they had learned from their study of biomimetics, enabling them to explore this subject in greater depth.

Feedback from the students included “I was impressed by the advanced technological capabilities of the electron microscope, and by the matter we saw through it,” and “I’m not very good at biology but was interested in this lesson as it had a different approach from usual.” The teaching staff told us, “I felt it made a huge difference for the students to experience observations through an actual electron microscope rather than the pages of a textbook. Some students who wanted to study humanities said they might change to the sciences, so I think it was a meaningful experience for the students.”

Going forwards, Hitachi High-Tech will continue to provide children with opportunities to experience science and technology.

The students participate actively

Worksheets were provided to make notes during the lesson

It took no time at all for them to master controlling the microscope remotely