Metal Detectors -Escape Game

Metal Detectors is a virtual escape game that teaches about critical metals and their future and sustainability in a fun and interesting way.

Climate change will increase the demand for raw materials. When the average temperature of the Earth increases, more energy will be needed for cooling, which will increase the usage of electricity. The use of fossil fuels is being decreased by for example transitioning to electric cars. Their batteries and motors need critical materials, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, gallium, germanium, indium, palladium and rare Earth metals. The methods of generating renewable energy, such as solar power and wind power, will increase the need for silver, gallium and rare Earth metals, among other things. Critical raw materials like cobalt, molybdenum, precious metals and rare Earth metals are also being used in the production of biofuels and the catalytic converters in cars. Since mining can’t be endlessly incremented the recycling of metals and critical raw materials must be enhanced. It will enable the existence of modern technology in the future as well.

Critical metals are metals for which there are significant challenges in terms of availability, substitutability or economy, and whose availability will be problematic in the future. The knowledge of critical metals is not widespread enough compared to increasing the consumption of them. The fact is, with todays consumption rate, we will run out of many metals, such as lithium and cobalt. The recycling of these metals today is very poor, since for now, it is much easier and cheaper to just mine more from the earth. Studies show that less than 1% of lithium gets recycled in the US and EU, which means that 99% of valuable lithium gets thrown in landfills to never be seen again. And pretty much every portable electronic device uses lithium-ion-batteries. If we run out of lithium, the global impact will be huge. 

The big problem here is the lack of information. This should be common knowledge, the same as e.g. climate change. Our own query showed that only 7% of our own students even knew what a critical metal is. And if you try to learn about it anywhere, you will probably just find dull and boring books or articles, so learning about them isn't really incenting.

Easing this tough situation starts with an increase in awareness. We have made a interactive virtual escape game to get people interested in the matter. In the bigger picture, we can't really affect the spending and little recycling rate of critical metals. That's why spreading information about critical metals is very important right now, as getting more people interested in the matter can and will help create solutions and help the situation. The 

• kerrotaan mitä just me tehdään

• kerrotaan ettei itse pystytä suuressa mittakaavassa vaikuttaman mutta tietoa voidaan levittää jotta suurempi määrä ihmisiä pystyisi yhdessä miettimään ratkaisua tilanteeseen /auttaa tilannetta

• kopioidaan tämäkin osittain beyond raportista

• ratkaisu on opetuspeli, joka lisää tietoisuutta

• tietoisuuden avulla saadaan myös lisää ihmisiä korjaamaan tilannetta

• myös mahd uusia tutkijoita, jotka keksii uusia ratkaisuja

Our game is aimed especially at young people but can be played by anyone. To fix this huge problem ahead, we need new professionals and inventions. But now there aren't many of either of them. This is where young people come into picture. By teaching about the problems facing ahead in an interesting way, we can excite them to study more about the topic and to help solve and prevent the problem. Even if they don’t want to study about it in the future, they should still know about it and then help prevent it since the problem will influence all of their lives greatly no matter what. 

Our team consists of four 17 year old students from Otaniemi Upper Secondary School (the equivalent for high school in Finland), who all have interest in chemistry. We

We started making our game last fall by collecting information on the topic. We did thorough background research and consulted several experts on the topic. We visited Suomenoja's sewage treatment plant and met battery researcher Tanja Kallio from Aalto University. We also interviewed a professor of analytical chemistry and circular economy, Ari Väisänen. 

After we finished this current version of our game, we started playtesting it with other high school students. We created a survey for them to fill before and after playing the game. The survey asked them about their experience playing the game and what they knew about the topic before and after playing the game. In total, 56 students participated in our test.

Our solution is a new innovative way of making an escape game in a virtual environment called Thinglink, where we have taken 360° photos that you can freely look around and explore. Making a free virtual escape game experience incents a fun way of learning about a globally important crisis. Todays teenagers are tomorrows change, and our game is directed to them. 

Next year we are going to make polishing touches and submit our game in other challenges as well. Every time we do this, the game gets a bit more polished and a bit better. We are also trying to get more feedback in student testing. The feedback helps us to improve.

Next year we are going to make polishing touches and submit our game in other challenges as well. Every time we do this, the game gets a bit more polished and a bit better. We are also trying to get more feedback in student testing. The feedback helps us to improve.

We are not officially partnered with any organization, but we have collaborated with the following organizations:

Verkkokauppa.com

the University of Jyväskylä

Thinglink

Room Escape Running Rabbit

Aalto University

Aalto Junior

These organizations were a big help in the making of our game, and are listed in the special thanks.

We are a volunteer-non-profit-group who give out useful information for free for fun.

This is a side project and not supposed to be profitable.