Country: Croatia

Category: Social

Project Aim:The aim of this project was to develop a didactic toy that could be used in kindergartens, thus user-friendly and developed with the latest technology – 3D printing technology.

Children like to observe and explore things that surround them and µSCOPE helps them to do exactly that in a simple way. Based on that notion, our students prepared little tasks and games for preschoolers in a kindergarten in Pula. Besides observing different items using µSCOPE, this experiment was aimed at developing different didactic means and games to attract the attention of the youngest and increase their interest in the project. Finally, by drawing the µSCOPE, children showed their perception and vision of the microscope. This was of fundamental importance for the project as it helped in the creation of the final design of the microscope. Our main goal is to become a strong center for 3D technology, future technology and a source for new opportunities which would illuminate and provide an understanding of science and technology in modern society.

What does µSCOPE do?

µSCOPE was created in collaboration with constituents of the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula under the guidance of assistant professor Sven Maričić, an internationally acclaimed scientist in the field of 3D printing. For the first time in the history of our University, the students of the Faculty of Economics and Tourism “Dr. Mijo Mirković”, Faculty of Informatics, the Department of Engineering and the Faculty of Educational Sciences were motivated by a joint project that resulted in the first intellectual creation of the University:  3D print microscope – µSCOPE. Thanks to the innovation and creativity of the team, the microscope was not developed in its characteristic form, but rather in the form of Glagolitic character S all while not losing a single ounce of its functionality. This design, i.e. shape was used due to the fact that in the area where the microscope was developed, from the beginning of the 9th century to the 19th century, the Glagolitic Script was used. In this specific way, it interlaces the past and the future by giving µSCOPE a distinct value. One of the peculiarities of µSCOPE is its software, which was developed by a blind computer engineering student Dalen Benaca, who enabled the optical information from the slider to be digitized and connected to the computer.

What is the µSCOPE future?

At this moment, there is a developed version of the µSCOPE for preschools, and we are currently developing it for elementary schools, high schools and Universities. The introduction of a 3D print microscope in kindergartens would greatly contribute and help children discover the world of science. Children would be able to get familiarized with new technologies as well as the world of science which would enable them to feel and act as small researchers while seeing the world through µSCOPE.

The gained recognition of Europe’s Startup Awards Croatia is great acknowledgment because, besides this being the first intellectual creation of the University, students from different fields of study collaborated to developed and innovate µSCOPE.

Our main goal is to become a strong center for 3D technology, future technology and a source for new opportunities which would illuminate and provide an understanding of science and technology in modern society.