Collapsible structures may be formed from planar solids. The structures may be comprised of multiple planar objects hingedly connected, where each planar object may include magnetic materials (e.g., magnets, ferromagnetic metals) or electromagnetic materials. Using the magnetic or electromagnetic materials, the connected planar objects may be arranged as a single planar object with multiple layers, or may be arranged as a three-dimensional (3-D) object, where the magnetic or electromagnetic materials may be used to retain the formed 3-D object shape. Application of a current to the electromagnetic materials may cause the collapsible structure to form the 3-D object, and removal of the electric current may cause the collapsible structure to revert to a single planar object. Multiple structures may be combined to form larger structures.

A circuit building device and method for use. The circuit building device is configured to resemble a construction-style brick including various knobs and receptacles for cooperating engagement. The shape and features of various specialized bricks and hubs allows for improved circuit construction and learning.

A modular building block easy to assemble comprises a base plate, basic parts, and electronic individual components. First protrusions are disposed on the base plate and the basic parts, and slots are formed in the basic parts and the electronic individual components. First conductive pins and conductive metal sheets are disposed inside the basic parts. Control panels, electronic devices and conductive contacts are disposed inside the electronic individual components. The invention designs the base plate, basic parts and electronic individual components of original electronic building blocks as individual modules.

A modular building block easy to assemble comprises a base plate, basic parts, and electronic individual components. First protrusions are disposed on the base plate and the basic parts, and slots are formed in the basic parts and the electronic individual components. First conductive pins and conductive metal sheets are disposed inside the basic parts. Control panels, electronic devices and conductive contacts are disposed inside the electronic individual components. The invention designs the base plate, basic parts and electronic individual components of original electronic building blocks as individual modules.

Electrical connectors, electrical modules, and systems are provided. In one aspect, an electrical connector includes a housing defining a side surface, an electrical conductor supported by the housing and including an engagement portion proximate the side surface of the housing. The engagement portion is adapted to engage another electrical conductor of another electrical connector. The connector also includes a magnet supported by the housing proximate the side surface of the housing, a projection extending from the side surface of the housing, and a receptacle defined in the side surface of the housing. In other aspects, an electrical module includes at least one of these electrical connectors. In further aspects, a system includes a plurality of these modules and the modules are selectively couplable together.

Modular frames for instructional use that provide secure mounts for geometric solids are presented. Some contemplated modular frames can be assembled into three dimensional modular devices and are particularly suitable for instructional purposes. Modular devices comprising two or more frames could be coupled via a clip in two or more different configurations. Containers including conductive material and configured to provide a Faraday cage around their contents are also provided.

A method of realizing an interactive virtual experiment is provided. A teacher may drags a minimum experimental unit into a demonstration area using a mouse. The above operational action is described as digital data in a panoramic learning platform. The data is transmitted to a student client. The same minimum experimental unit is automatically placed in the same position of the demonstration area of the virtual experiment subsystem of the student client according to the data. The teacher may operates the minimum experimental unit. The operational action is described as digital data in the panoramic learning platform. The data is sent to the student client. The same operational action is automatically performed in the student client based on the above data. The demonstration is performed on the minimum experimental units in the demonstration areas of the teacher client and the student client.

A modular building block easy to assemble comprises a base plate, basic parts, and electronic individual components. First protrusions are disposed on the base plate and the basic parts, and slots are formed in the basic parts and the electronic individual components. First conductive pins and conductive metal sheets are disposed inside the basic parts. Control panels, electronic devices and conductive contacts are disposed inside the electronic individual components The invention designs the base plate, basic parts and electronic individual components of original electronic building blocks as individual modules.

A modular building block easy to assemble comprises a base plate, basic parts, and electronic individual components. First protrusions are disposed on the base plate and the basic parts, and slots are formed in the basic parts and the electronic individual components. First conductive pins and conductive metal sheets are disposed inside the basic parts. Control panels, electronic devices and conductive contacts are disposed inside the electronic individual components The invention designs the base plate, basic parts and electronic individual components of original electronic building blocks as individual modules.

A mechanical analog of electronics configured to enable the construction of a mechanical equivalent of an electrical circuit, the mechanical analog of electronics, including two or more repositionable rotating members, each of rotating member representing a mechanical equivalent of a component of an electrical circuit, wherein the rotating members are operably coupled together by at least one of a chain, belt, string, or gear coupling.