Child Protection Japan Project #13568

School of Fun for Children in Fukushima

by Academy Camp

Project Report | Nov 15, 2021
Academy Camp VR 2021.9 - You explore! Amazing Modern & Near-Future Medicine

By Kenji Saito | Representative Director

With a real doctor researching on space medicine

Please find a Japanese version of this report here.

Let us take a look back at Academy Camp VR 2021.9 - "You explore! Amazing Modern & Near-Future Medicine". The event was held over three days from September 18 to 20, 2021. 13 children from Fukushima and the rest of Japan joined this virtual reality (VR) camp from home.

In the morning of the first day, we gathered together with Zoom to warm up the place, and then went through various CG videos and explanations to learn about the new coronavirus and mRNA vaccines. Many of the elementary and junior high school students were surprised to learn that viruses use the mechanisms of RNA transcription and protein synthesis in human cells to multiply, while mRNA vaccines use the same strategies of viruses to synthesize viral spike proteins using the mechanisms of human cells. It was a double surprise to many of us.

In the afternoon, we explored the VR world. Since some of the participants were new to VR, we took our time to learn how to enter VRChat, and then went to the "Academy Camp VR Venue", underground on the Moon, to think about what it would be like to be injured or sick in space. A simple experimental facility was set up beside the hall of the venue, and through demonstrations, we learned that even basic things like intravenous drip infusion depend on the Earth's gravitational environment, and on the Moon, you have to drop the fluid from a ridiculous height to get it into your veins.

In the morning of the second day, we actually read the code of Pfizer's vaccine letter by letter. First, as a review, we looked at the transcription of DNA to RNA, and the synthesis of proteins from the information encoded in RNA, in detail, starting from the structure of DNA and the mechanism of replication. The impact of the CG video was so strong that many children were fascinated by it, even though they felt these moving objects were weird. By learning about the structure of mRNA in detail through reading the code of Pfizer's vaccine, the children were able to read the diagram showing the structure of the new coronavirus that was briefly introduced on the first day.

From the afternoon of the second day to the morning of the third day, we continued to 3D-paint the characters(?) of the VR cell world. We were divided into two groups: "painters of immune cell networks (roughly in microns; tens to hundreds of meters in the VR cell world)" and "painters of factories inside cells (roughly in nanometers; centimeters in the VR cell world)". The children painted various cells, DNA, RNA, enzymes, etc.

In the afternoon, we invited a doctor who is a space medicine researcher, and discussed medical care in space, which will always be an issue when people live in space. We also discussed various questions about our bodies (regenerative medicine, etc.), not only about space medicine. The doctor said that he rarely has a chance to talk with elementary and junior high school students, so we had a good time together!

The final closing session was held in the VR cell world that was still in the process of being created, where viruses fall from the sky. One by one, we talked about our impressions of the camp, and spontaneously developed the mysterious manner of jumping and disappearing from sight after speech! (It's a jump, so they came down after a while.) After taking a commemorative group photo with the viruses, the short three-day VR camp ended.

Some days later, a junior high school student member asked, "What about the second half of 'Modern & Near Future Medicine'? When are we going to do it?" Well, why not? After all, the VR cell world is still in the process of being built! We love to gather again, and have time to create the world together.

GIVING TUESDAY IS APPROACHING

Please get ready to join GlobalGiving’s #GivingTuesday campaign taking place on Tuesday, November 30, at 12:00am. ET! Your support will help Academy Camp and the children of Fukushima, as well as children all over Japan, to continue their adventure.

Device to demonstrate intravenous infusion on Moon

Everyone pretends they know how to replicate DNA

Let's 3D-paint DNA and its replication

Group photo in the cell world in the making

Off to another fun VR world together

Links:

Academy Camp Facebook Page in English

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Nov 3, 2021
Academy Camp 2021 Summer VR Term 3 - ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS

By Kenji Saito | Representative Director

Participate in an adventure mission remotely

Please find a Japanese version of this report here.

This time, we would like to take a look back at Academy Camp 2021 Summer VR Term 3 - "ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS". The event was held over three days from August 13 to 15, 2021. 15 children from Fukushima and the rest of Japan joined this virtual reality (VR) camp from home. The children also worked on making things for three days in between since our previous camp, so together, it can be said that this was the longest, 9-day camp in the history of the Academy Camp.

Two giant spaceships designed in Minecraft before the start of this camp appeared in the dock of the "Academy Camp VR Venue", an underground base on the moon. However, when we actually went into it, there were still some things that needed to be fixed. Spacecraft improvements continued.

Meanwhile, the training for the mission went on. To further foster teamwork in order to complete this dangerous adventure mission and survive, we welcomed our friend improvisation actor, to weave improvised stories and walk around the Venue with a buddy (a group of two people who act together) to show each other their favorite places. The final step of the training was to test the propulsion of two spaceships (with normal engines) on the dock, moving forward just 10 meters and back, but the spaceships we had built actually worked!

Then it was finally time to leave for the Jupiter system. The two spacecraft were deployed to the space dock in orbit around the moon, equipped with warp technology to reach Jupiter. Unfortunately, the landers were not implemented in time, but a device was installed in the cockpit of each spacecraft to use the warp technology to "beam down" the crew to the surface of Europa. So everyone would be able to descend to Europa. For this memorable occasion, we also invited our friend space scientist to go to Jupiter with us.

In the first try in the morning of the final day, we experienced various troubles, such as warping to Jupiter system and then immediately warping back to the moon, or getting separated from buddies, but we gradually improved for the afternoon trial.

And in the ocean beneath Europa's icy shell (several kilometers below in reality), everyone could see the large creatures they had designed, standing and/or swimming. Today, humans arrived at Jupiter for the first time. When everyone returned to Zoom, they shared their impressions and brought this summer's VR adventure to a close.

Later, the landers were also implemented. It looks like some of our participant sisters and brothers traveled to Europa for their summer vacation!

GIVING TUESDAY IS APPROACHING

Team is important, so let's build our team

Jupiter and Europa seen from children's spacecraft

The first humans and butter arrived on Jupiter

Meet the huge ocean creatures designed by children

Checking out from Europa and the space camp

Links:

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Oct 26, 2021
Academy Camp 2021 Summer VR Term 2 - PREFAB THE WORLDS

By Kenji Saito | Representative Director

Gathered in the hall in the camp venue on the Moon

Please find a Japanese version of this report here.

We would like to take a look back at Academy Camp 2021 Summer VR Term 2 - "PREFAB THE WORLDS". The event was held over three days from August 7 to 9, 2021. 14 children from Fukushima and the rest of Japan joined this virtual reality (VR) camp from home.

In the July camp, we created a lunar base of 2030s in the vast space of a lava tube. The August camps start on the Moon ten years later. The cavern was covered with a transparent lid, and the air-filled space was filled with more greenery and lights. The new VR world, "Academy Camp VR Venue," was created as a playground for everyone. This is also where the spaceships are assembled for testing. The spaceships are built so that we can all go to Europa, a moon of Jupiter, and land there to explore for extraterrestrial life.

There were many opinions on what kind of spaceship we should build for everyone to board, and we almost decided by majority vote. However, we decided against it. This is a story in VR, but if it were real, it would be a spaceship that everyone would risk their own lives to board and go on an adventure. Can we decide on something while our lives are at stake, and the consequences of our choices will ultimately be in accordance with the laws of physics, just because more people think this is the way to go? With this question posed, everyone began to prototype their own spaceships in the work space provided in Minecraft.

On the second day, we all went into the various spaceships that were temporarily placed on the Venue dock to see if we could build them as we had expected. As a result, it was decided that it would be better to consider the specifications of what a spacecraft going to Jupiter must satisfy, make a checklist, and proceed with the design while confirming that the specifications are met. So, everyone thought about what was important and made a checklist.

We also learned about Europa by watching videos and infographics of NASA's Europa Clipper project. Europa is a satellite that is slightly smaller than the Earth's moon, but deep within the ice shell on its surface is a global ocean that contains more than twice the amount of water as the Earth's entire ocean. On Earth, where there is water, there is life. If that is the case, then... does life exist on Europa? Everyone is going to explore it!

On the third day, we used Minecraft to design the creatures that live in Europa's oceans. The design of the spacecraft and the lander that would separate from it continued. In the end, we ended up with two large spaceships, but in the process, many "unused designs" were created. They are all great!

The design of the spaceships will be handed over to the term 3 camp, but after this camp was over, the staff had a review meeting at the Venue, where the children also joined in the fun.

How is everyone doing today? Show by numbers

Having a virtual reality fun

Examining the quality of the prototype spaceships

Play to challenge everyone's physical flexibility

Amazed at the perfection of the "unused designs"

Links:

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