The LEGO® brick road to open science and biotechnology
Technologies: NanoJ and NanoJ-Fluidics
Review published in Trends in Biotechnology, January 2022
Publisher: Elsevier
The manuscript explores the various applications of LEGO® bricks in scientific research and technological innovations across multiple fields, including biotechnology, biological research, behavioral sciences, neurological sciences, physics, and chemistry. In biotechnology and biological research, LEGO® creations include tools for plant growth studies, microscopy, and multi-organ chip research, such as fraction collectors, microfluidics systems, and a motorized lightsheet microscope. The behavioral sciences and neurological sciences have employed LEGO® Therapy and LEGO Robots for engaging children with autism spectrum disorders in social interactions and remote lab experiments. Physics research includes the use of LEGO® bricks as thermal insulators, tensile testers, and wave manipulators, leading to new parts prototyping and the investigation of phononic phenomena. In the field of chemistry, a nerve gas detector has been developed using LEGO® bricks. Overall, the manuscript emphasizes the versatility and potential of LEGO® bricks as tools for scientific exploration and innovation.