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Hi Joanna, Not sure if this is exactly the sort of thing you were thinking of, but at a conference I was at recently Ant Miller was extolling the virtues of the Arduino (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino) and the geeks were all salivating. He can probably explain better but my understanding is that it's a basic programmable electronic controller gizmo, which you can play around with and make do all different stuff (e.g. switch the lights in your house on by sending a message over the internet). Ant's thinking was that today's programmers got into it by messing around with BBC micros or ZX Spectrums as teenagers, and the Arduino could similarly get kids into simple programming and electronics. Ant - sorry if this isn't a good summary:-). Hope this helps! Sophia Sophia Collins Producer I'm a Scientist - event site www.imascientist.org.uk <http://www.imascientist.org.uk> I'm a Scientist - project blog imascientist.org.uk <http://imascientist.org.uk> I'm a Councillor www.bigvote.org.uk <http://www.bigvote.org.uk> Gallomanor Communications Ltd. 01225 869413 31 Silver Street Bradford on Avon BA15 1JX www.gallomanor.com <http://www.gallomanor.com> Creating Community Conversations Gallomanor Communications Ltd. Registered in England & Wales, No. 03980700. Registered Address: Duckmead Cottage, Farleigh Wick, Bradford-on-Avon, BA15 2PU Joanna Rooke wrote: > > Hi there, > > I'm trying to come up with a list of about 5 - 10 of the latest cool > science/engineering type gadgets - things that would make good > presents and cost no more than £500 (but more like £100). It's for a > possible TV feature. > > If anyone has any suggestions or could suggest a place to start > looking, that would be great - I've have a look at the Science Museum > shop already. > > Thanks, Joanna > > *National Science and Engineering Week* (6-15 March 2009) is on its > way... See what’s happening around the UK during the week, find out > how you can help ‘Save our Bees’ and join in the Change Exchange at > _http://www.nsew.org.uk_. > > *Joanna Rooke* > *Manager of Regional Programmes* > *British Science Association* > *Wellcome Wolfson Building* > *165 Queen's Gate * > *London* > *SW7 5HD > T: +44 (0)20 7019 4953 > F: +44 (0)870 770 7102* > *Website: **_www.britishscienceassociation.org_* > <file://www.britishscienceassociation.org> > > *British Science Association is the operating name and registered > trademark of the British Association for the Advancement of Science* > > *Registered charity no: 212479 and SCO39236 > * > *Please consider the environment before printing this email* > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System > on behalf of > the British Science Association (http://www.britishscienceassociation.org) > ______________________________________________________________________ ********************************************************************** 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example, send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] with the following message: set psci-com nomail -- [include hyphens] 2. To resume email from the list, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message: set psci-com mail -- [include hyphens] 3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message: leave psci-com -- [include hyphens] 4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list archive, can be found at the list web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html 5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and science and society can be found at http://psci-com.ac.uk 6. To contact the Psci-com list owner, please send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] **********************************************************************