The Innovation Society’s Nanorama Car Workshop

Thanks to a Sept. 23, 2014 news item on Nanowerk, I’ve come across this education initiative for workers in the automotive industry,

Nanomaterials and ultra-fine particles in car workshops – learn how to handle them safely by exploring the “Nanorama Car Workshop”, which is now available (in German) at http://nano.dguv.de/nanorama/bghm/. A “Nanorama” is a virtual classroom that allows its users to gather important information on safe handling of nanomaterials in a 360° work environment.

The emphasis of the “Nanorama Car Workshop” is on the handling of products containing nanomaterials and on work processes that can lead to the formation of ultra-fine particles. In the “Nanorama Car Workshop”, the user receives useful information about hazard evaluation assessment, the occupational exposure to nanomaterials and necessary protective measures.

An Aug. 25, 2014 DGUV (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung; German Social Accident Insurance Institution) press release, (summary available here) provides more details,

The ‘Nanorama Lab’ (http://nano.dguv.de/nanorama/bgrci/) represents the second interactive educational tool on the Nano-Platform ‘Safe Handling of Nanomaterials’ (http://nano.dguv.de) (both currently only available in German). They were developed by the Innovation Society, St. Gallen, in close collaboration with the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the raw materials and chemical industry (BG RCI). The ‘Nanorama Lab’ offers in-depth insights into the safe handling of nanomaterials and installations used to manufacture or process nanomaterials in laboratories. Complementary to hazard evaluation assessments, it enables users to assess the occupational exposure to nanomaterials and to identify necessary protective measures when handling said materials in laboratories.

«Due to the attractive visual implementation and the interactive contents, the ‘Nanorama Lab’ offers a great introduction to protective measures in laboratories », says Dr. Thomas H. Brock, Head of the Expert Committee on Hazardous Substances of the BG RCI. The ‘Nanorama Lab’ inspires curiosity in users and instigates them to reflect on the conditions in their respective workplaces. «By exploring the ‘Nanorama Lab’, laboratory staff actively deals with occupational health and safety in laboratories and its practical implementation with regard to nanomaterials.»

The press release goes on to describe the ‘nanorama’ concept,

Presenting the ‘Nanorama Lab’, the DGUV again harnesses the interactive E-Learning tool ‘Nanorama’ developed by The Innovation Society, St. Gallen. A ‘Nanorama’ – a lexical blend of ‘Nano’ and ‘Panorama’, – is a novel 360°-E-learning module in which the user enters a virtual space and moves around in it. By completing a ‘Nanorama’, users acquire knowledge in an entertaining manner. ‘Nanoramas’ can be applied in many areas of education and communication.

The first module of the Nano-Platform, the ‘Nanorama Construction’, can be visited on http://nano.dguv.de/nanorama/bgbau/. It offers insights into the use and applications of nanomaterials in the construction industry and will soon be followed by the ‘Nanorama
Metal’. Additionally, the Nano-Platform c an be expanded with further ‘Nanorama’-modules on any given sector or trade thanks to its modular design.

There is no word as to when an English-language version may be available but you can visit the Nanomara car workshop, regardless.

You can also check out the Nano-Portal for more information about this car Nanorama and other such inititiatives.

Here’s an image from the Nanorama car workshop,

Nanorama car workshop [downloaded from http://nano.dguv.de/]

Nanorama car workshop [downloaded from http://nano.dguv.de/]

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