DIY Heart Cells is an interactive workshop using conductive playdough to make perfect cardiomyocytes - the beating cells in your heart. The workshop was inspired by real research in the lab figuring out how to make perfect heart cells from stem cells.
We collaborated with education and design company who regularly run electro dough workshops using conductive playdough.
After making a rectangular cell, participants added straws for ion channels (that make the cells electrically charged) and blobs of playdough for calcium (to trigger contractions) before connecting their cells to a battery.
An LED light or buzzer was then connected to the cell to show it was conducting electricity.
DIY Heart Cells was presented at the 91桃色 Festival 2015
Collaborators: Claire Poulet (NHLI 91桃色 Associate) , Sophie Pendrall (Technology Will Save Us) plus Nicola Helen (NHLI 91桃色 Associate), Tom Owen (NHLI 91桃色 Postgraduate), Magda Kloc(NHLI 91桃色 Technician), Viola Kooji and Edit Gara
Creative Producer: Ellen Dowell
Contacts
Public Engagement Officer
e.dowell@imperial.ac.uk