Developing an Interactive Virtual Environment for Engendering Public Understanding About Nanotechnology: From Concept to Construction

Infusion of nanotechnology applications into modern life is in progress. Nanoscale innovation comes with the ever-pressing need to provide citizens and learners with scientific knowledge for informing perceptions and attitudes surrounding the societal impact of nanotechnology. In rising to the challenge, this paper reports the first developmental phase of a broader research agenda concerned with building and investigating virtual environments for communicating nano-ideas. Methods involved elucidating core nano-principles upon which two purposefully contrasting nanotechnology “risk” and “benefit” scenario tasks were designed for incorporation into an intended virtual environment. The result was construction of a 3D immersive virtual architecture where users’ multisensory interactive experiences of conducting the two tasks are anticipated as a gateway for engendering nano-related understanding underpinning perceived hopes and fears. In this revised paper, post-acceptance for presentation, initial results from a pilot study are also presented attained from exploring learners’ and citizens’ interaction with the constructed virtual environment.