Microscopic Pacman – an arts and science collaboration project
May 24, 2017
Scientists from USN recreate the famous arcade game from 1980 in a microscopic format by using state of the art micro fabrication techniques.
The microchip is made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and glass with microfluidic channels designed as a maze structure. It is submerged in water, and the microorganisms are let in through two microfluidic entrances. They proceed to chase each other through the maze, constituting a fascinating imitation of the Pacman game.
The original film is available through YouTube
and there is also an edited version by HSN
The project
This particular project was the brainchild of an arts and science collaboration between filmdirector Adam Bartley and Erik Johannessen at the University College of Southeast Norway (USN). The quest was to design a system that the general public would instantly recognize and understand while supporting the scientific basis behind the research. Although most scientific work is published in journals and scientific conferences, bridging this work to the public domain is more challenging, but increasingly important in order to secure interest and recruitment to the fields of natural science and engineering. The basis of arts conveying a story proved to be a powerful tool in this particular project. It went viral in the summer of 2016 reaching international media such as Reuters, ITN, CNN and countless internet sites.
The project was funded by Vestfold Regional Innovation (VRI) with additional experimental support provided by Stein Stie (photography) and Kjetil Reier-Røberg (microbiology).
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