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Curvimeter Stem Lab

Curvimeter Stem Lab

SKU:UGR70138

Regular price £22.50 GBP
Regular price Sale price £22.50 GBP
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  • 109

    Pieces
  • 2

    Est. Time (hrs)
  • 8+

    Age
  • Medium

    Difficulty
LxWxH 130 mm x 60 mm x 105 mm

  • To use the device, you roll the wheel across the item that needs measuring.
  • As the wheel moves, the measuring hand moves as well, tracking how far the wheel has traveled.
  • If your distance is greater than one rotation, the device also tracks how many circuits it has completed.
  • Once you've measured the entire item, multiply the number displayed on the face by the number of rotations to find the total distance.
  • Kit contains all required components and no glue is required
  • Precision laser cut plywood. Only requires assembly.
  • UGears Mechanical Models are self-propelled, mechanical wooden model assembly kits.
  • Perfect for family projects, puzzle enthusiasts, and hands-on STEM learning
  • 109 parts
  • Assembly time: 2 hours
  • Model size 130x60x105mm
Educational 3D puzzle Curvimeter by Ugears STEM Lab. Discover in AR
  • The model kit comes with a QR-code that will forward you to the learning guide about the mechanism, the principal of its working, the main characteristics, formulas, and interesting assignments.
  • Dive into augmented reality and look at how the curvimeter works. Interact with the model via a special AR application from Ugears
Find out about the Curvimeter’s design and how it works

The Curvimeter – or opisometer – is a device that measures the length of curved lines and helps to calculate the distance between the points on a map more precisely than a ruler or a compass.

The mechanism has a measuring wheel, a clock face, and a hand. When the wheel moves along the line on a map that you need to measure, the hand moves around the clock face marked with measuring units – centimeters, inches, etc. All you need to do in the end is to check the map scale and to multiply your data by the denominator in the scale.

You can rely on the curvimeter when planning a hike with your friends or a family trip – it will help you to determine the distance you’d cover to get to your destination. The device is especially useful when you have no access to any electronic gadgets or the internet.

Who invented the curvimeter and when

There is no verified information about the actual inventor of the curvimeter. Some sources say the credit of its invention belongs to the Roman engineer Virtuvius, who describes a very similar device around 23 BC. Others refer to a Chinese scholar, Zhāng Héng. Russian sources suggest that the curvimeter might have been invented by the polymath Mikhail Lomonosov who presumably initially called it “krivimetr”. All in all, the official first curvimeter patent belongs to the English engineer Edward Russell Morris who in 1873 registered “a novel device for measuring distances”.

Use

The Curvimeter is used to measure the length of curved lines on topographic maps, charts, schemes, and plans. It is a common tool for map-makers, tourists, and road services.

Mechanism STEM wooden toy «cuvimeter»
The Mechanism of the curvimeter is made of:
  • Measuring wheel with main and additional scales, and a hand.
  • Planetary mechanism.
  • Cycloidal drive.

Ugears STEM-models are designed to suit different age groups with a special focus on learning component. The assembly of the model will be interesting and won’t take much time.

STEM-lab Construction kits come with all you need in a box, which includes:

Just like the rest of Ugear’s collections, putting STEM-lab models together is fun and comprehensive: everything you need to build, learn, and discover comes in a box. There you will find:

  • Wooden details pre-cut with a precise high-tech laser in high-quality plywood boards, as well as other materials required for assembly. The models need no glue or additional instruments to build. The details come out of the board with a slight push.
  • Step-by step illustrated assembly instruction manual.
  • Practical lab tasks with use of your model.
  • QR-code to download a pocket study guide about your model, its mechanism, principle of its working, main characteristics, physical and mechanical formulas, and fun practical tasks.
  • QR-code to download AR-application. Fascinating innovation from Ugears – new drive to learn more new things!
Complete STEM building set «curvimeter» + AR-experience
View full details

Ready to Build

Ugears models are made from sustainably sourced, laser cut plywood sheets. Everything you need is inside the box, so you can get building right away.

Mechanical

No batteries, no electricity, just Ugears. All mechanical models are powered by the ingenious mechanisms built by you. Just wind up your model and watch it come to life.

No Glue

Pieces have been designed so they will either click or slide into place. No glue or any other kind of adhesive is needed to build your model.

Educational

Models take inspiration from real life inventors and engineers, such as Da Vinci and Galileo. Learn the history behind the model as you build.