Advantest holds science and engineering classes every year at elementary schools near our facilities, with the aim of encouraging children’s interest in science and technology and supporting the education of the next generation. This year, we held speaker-making classes for fifth graders and hands-on optical communication tutorials for sixth graders for three classes in total.
62 fifth-graders from Meiwa Nishi Elementary School in Meiwa, Gunma Prefecture participated on December 12, 2018, and 46 fifth-graders from Takamori Elementary School in Sendai participated on December 19th. Under the guidance of Advantest volunteers, the children built speakers using paper, coils, magnets, and other materials, then connected them to an amplifier and confirmed that they worked. When a CD player was connected to the amplifier, music flowed through the classroom. The children smiled and laughed in surprise to hear a familiar pop song coming from the speakers they had made, while some danced and others gathered in front of the amplifier. At the end of the lesson, we held a mini-lecture and explained that the speaker works by utilizing the characteristics of electromagnets.
Thirty-six sixth graders from Takamori Elementary School participated in the optical communication class. Advantest volunteer instructors simultaneously input red, blue and green optical signals (music) into one optical fiber. These three optical signals were output as independent music without mixing, allowing the children to experience and easily understand optical communications. We explained that using light also saves energy. The children exclaimed admiringly, "Wow!" and "Mysterious!"
Advantest will continue to teach children about science and technology and support the education of the next generation.
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