Meta!Blast is under-development virtual reality software for exploring cellular metabolism. The software, rendering, original music and narration are being developed exclusively by undergraduate students. Assessment and feedback of Meta!Blast will involve K-12 teachers and their students.
Meta!Blast aspires to promote learning, discovery and engagement in cell and metabolic biology, and enable even young students to obtain an intuitive understanding of chemical and physical diversity in biological systems. High school students can interact in Meta!Blast with metabolic biology while moving within a virtual environment of a eukaryotic cells. At a simpler level, K-6 students will be able to explore different cell structures, and move into the various compartments, where they can change the conditions of the cells, thus causing changes in the cellular contents. This virtual environment will help students to understand cell biology in the context of the diversity of biochemical processes.
Meta!Blast is designed to work in a number of virtual reality systems as well as on a personal PC through the use of VR Juggler developed by coPI Carolina Cruz-Neira.