The Future of Chemistry Education is just around the corner with HandMol

A free tool for immersive molecular graphics and modeling that runs in all devices from computers and smartphones to VR headsets

HandMol integrates various technologies to offer immersive molecular graphics where one or two users can act on molecules with their hands, as in a physical molecular modeling kit but aided with realistic calculations of mechanics and other features. Figure composed by the author from snapshots taken in his own software.

Today I bring you, dear reader of Age of Awareness, a tool that blends several new technologies into a science-fiction-esque resource for education (and also possible for work) in chemistry. It is called HandMol, and it is a fully web-based app designed to revolutionize the way we visualize, manipulate and discuss molecular structures. Moreover, the tool and associated preprint offer a glimpse into the future of science education and scientific research in general -possibly inspiring others to create similar tools applicable to other fields of STEM education.

What HandMol exactly is

HandMol provides immersive visualization for molecular graphics and modeling, extended with capabilities to interact with atoms and molecules naturally by using simply one’s hands, realistic physics and chemical simulations acting in real time, and the option to have two users acting together immersively on a molecular system.

Something like what you can see in the following picture, where the two grey hands belong to the person whose view is…