NaRiKa; Electrifying Sciencein Japan and the WorldNaRiKa’s Borderless Eye, Global Heart: Genecon

All Japanese children, (and probably their mothers and fatherstoo!), know about NaRiKa’s flagship product, Genecon. In thesame way that Genecon became a bestselling appliancefor science lessons on electricity and energy in Japan, it has
now become an indispensable power generator
for NaRiKa’s expansion out into the world.

Children are our dream.
It is our ideal that everyone can pursue their own individual dreams withinsociety. Many of the things that fascinate adults come from the experiencesthat captivated them when they were young children. We at NaRiKa arecontributing to those childhood experiences in new and exciting ways.
Children's eyes sparkle with excitement, showing their genuine fascination
with society, life and themselves. Their eyes sparkle even more when theirnatural desire to learn is gratified through their daily experiences.
NARIKA Corporation specialize in planning, importing and marketing avariety of experimental apparatus for science education, from elementary
school to university level. We have been supplying educational equipment
to schools for over 90 years.
The school laboratory is a very important place forchildren, where they can learn about the wonders
and workings of life. We want to make sure that
this laboratory educates as many children as
possible for their future. We contribute toschool education with our unique experimental apparatus, designed to educate
and delight children and to make theireyes sparkle with excitement.

NaRiKa's Strategy
We are passionate about the services andproducts we offer to our customers. Our company's
policy is always to focus on the education field, and tolisten to the voices of our users. We have daily contact
with teachers and children and their frank opinions andconstructive comments are always very welcome. We use this feedback todevelop new products that are ideally suited to the school market. In thisway NaRiKa plans to become a world-class provider of educational equipment. We want to help to create exciting, enriching and enjoyable surroundings for school children and pupils studying science in class, wherever they
may be.
We also have close business connections with overseas suppliers in U.S.A.,
Germany, England, Holland, Denmark, Korea, Taiwan, China, etc.
In addition to the school market, we are extending our business activities tothe pre-school market (nursery home and kindergarten) in Japan. Our clientsare school children, teachers and more than 500 of exclusive agents throughout Japan. We pride ourselves on the levels of service and communication
we offer to our customers. Our main ambition is to make the teacher the 'star'of the classroom, and to make the student's eyes sparkle with wonder.
(C) NARIKA CORPORATION

02

International Exchange Started
through Genecon’s NaRiKa
Genecon, The Dynamo that Introduced
NaRiKa to America
In Boston in 1984 the NSTA (National
Science Teachers Association.) hosted a big
international event in which manufacturers
from all over the world exhibited a wide rangeof educational equipment. , One product alone
attracted the attention of both teachers andstudents alike. The name of the product was
Genecon, the company ; Nakamura Sciencefrom Tokyo (later to be known as NaRiKa).
A manufacturer nobody had ever heard ofpresented a product nobody had ever seen andcaused a huge sensation.
Genecon was first sold in Japan in 1981. It
enjoyed overnight success as an educational
tool that made power generation and electricity easy to understand. At that time, thepresident of Nakamura Science, Paul
Nakamura, was passionate in his eagerness tovisit all the science-related events and public
seminars throughout the world. At the sametime the U.S. government had budgeted funds
for promoting science education. This
strengthened Paul’s confidence and provided
the perfect opportunity, encouraging him totake the Genecon to NSTA.
The Genecon, is a power generator operated
with a simple handle. It can be used to explain
the interaction of resistance and electric
current, etc., in experiments. It became thecenter of attention in America, then considered to be the pioneer of science educational
equipment. Nakamura Science, however, stilllacked a sales route into America, and did nothave the ability to supply the Genecon to
those teachers who showered the company ininquiries. But, the response it had generated
meant that well-known American sales
representatives began to turn their attention to
the Genecon, and soon a supply route wasestablished. The huge success the Genecon
had enjoyed in Japan was repeated in the US.
The name of Nakamura Science became
well-known, and sales expanded. In addition
to being the first product that NaRiKa
marketed overseas, the Genecon also becamea dynamo for generating international
exchange.

NaRika has been Generating Interest in Science
Throughout the World for More Than 20 Years
America was the first overseas nation that
NaRiKa became involved with, and Genecon
was its first bestselling product abroad. In
addition to becoming a long-seller in the
United States, Genecon was also favorably
received in Asia and Europe and became an
indispensable item for science lessons. The
Genecon proved that there are no borders
when it comes to learning and enjoying
science. It became NaRiKa’s flagshipproduct, having given us theconfidence to believe that
our ideals were correct. In
addition, the Genecon’s
success establishedNakamura Science’s
international reputation
as a manufacturer ofhigh quality
educational
equipment, andhelped us create
firm links withsales agencies and commercial companies
abroad. Even now, twenty years after our
debut on the world’s stage, all we have to do
by way of introduction at exhibitions andworkshops is to show the teachers andsalesmen the Genecon. The merits of being
the ‘manufacturer of the Genecon’ alone aresufficient to generate a sense of trust.,
Following the same route cultivated throughthe success of the Genecon, has enabled us to
introduce to the world a large number of othereducational products, such as the Recording
Timer, the Magnetic Field Observer, Static
Experiment Kit and the BeeSpi, which are
now firmly established on an international
scale. The path that the Genecon created for us
has allowed the world to become familiar with
science education in Japan, as well as
introducing the world’s science to Japan. We
will continue to follow this path into the future
to provide the children of the world with a
new sense of enjoyment and excitement via
their science lessons.

03The Story Behind the Genecon.
NaRiKa’s Borderless Eye, Global Heart: Genecon
Turning the white handle attached to the red body lights miniature bulbs and operates
scale-model cars. Twenty-five years since its first appearance, The fun it has produced inJapan and in the rest of the world has turned the Genecon into a constant best-seller.

This is the original Genecon, anepoch-making educational instrumentthat makes learning about electricity
and resistance fun.

04

Genecon is now a standard item throughout
the classrooms of the world. The reason for its
continued popularity is that it transcends thedifferences inherent in language and culture.
Genecon first went on sale as a NaRiKa brandin 1981.
The conception of the Genecon, which has
now become a superstar in the field of science,
did not start with NaRiKa, but with the
Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd., which iswell-known for its Mabuchi Motor. It became
an especially popular toy amongst young boys
at the time, owing to its ability to illuminate
miniature light bulbs and power scale-modelcars. But, this Genecon-as-toy boom soon
came to an end. This left an outstanding stockof Genecon and molds amounting tothirty-thousand units in the warehouse, with
nobody imagining in their wildest dreams that
it would once again enjoy huge popularity in acompletely different field.
While children were happily turning thehandle of the Genecon, there were also adults
who were turning the gears of their minds.
These adults were Mr. Hashimoto and Mr.
Osumi of the Kyoto Municipal Science Centerfor Youths. These two gentlemen were, at thetime, lamenting the fact that there was no
educational apparatus available for teaching
the mechanisms of electrical power
generation. It was then that they first cameinto contact with the Genecon, and they
immediately began to use it in theirexperiments.
The fun of generating power just by turning ahandle; the easily-comprehensible knowledge
that increasing the speed of the handle
increases the brightness of the light bulbs; therealization that the higher the resistance, themore difficult it gets to move the handle - allthese made the Genecon the perfecteducational toy. The children who used theGenecon in their lessons immediately fell inlove with it.. But, sales of the Mabuchi Motor
had already been suspended, and there wasnowhere to get hold of the Genecon. This waswhen NaRiKa came to the rescue. We
contacted the Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd.,
discovered that production had ceased, andbought up their entire remaining stock. This
sold out within three years. We therefore
acquired the molds and began to manufacturer
them in-house. Before we knew it, Genicon
had become a bestseller not only in Japan, butalso in the rest of the world. Science wassuddenly fun again! It had taught us theimportance of viewing products without
prefixed conceptions. The Genecon, whichstarted off life as a child’s toy, had now
evolved into an important educational
instrument that features in school textbooks.

Genecon DUE(manual power generator)

Making its World Debut in 2006.
The New Genecon Mode
Genecon has evolved
over time. The original
1981 body was bright
red, but this waschanged to a blue
skeleton frame in 1984.
This was to ensure thatthe electricitygenerating mechanism
can be clearly seenin operation.
Nowadays, it has
evolved evenfurther and now
sports a clear
skeleton.
Based on the factthat the Genecon,
as a toy, can also be
used as an educational instrument, we have also continued todevelop other similar products,such as the
BeeSpi, which measures speed and acceleration, and the Daruma-Otoshi, which provides
lessons in inertia, and we now have acomplete line-up of products that teach theprinciples of science
while through play.
In 2006, we
introduced theElectrostatic HighVoltage Genecon to
the Genecon family.
This unit generates
more than 10,000
volts simply byturning the handle
gently. Being both
inexpensive andcompact, this enables
static electricity
experiments to be
carried out much more
simply than with theexpensive Van Der
Graaf generators thatconcept that NaRiKa incorporated in the
Genecon. It proved a great success both inJapan and overseas immediately after it was
released. It is our sincerest hope at NaRiKa
that within a few years the Electrostatic
High-Voltage Genecon will also be delighting
children in classrooms throughout the world.

Electrostatic High-Voltage Genecon

were used up until now.
Actually placing this in the hands of children
allows them to learn about electricity
first-hand and helps them understand theprinciples of science while they are enjoying
themselves. This is a perfect successor of the05

Introducing Elementary School Students
to the Excitement of Power Generation.
New Models 28 Years After the First Genecon
Ever since the Genecon was placed on the market in 1981 by NaRiKa it has been a firm favorite in Japanand throughout the world as an educational instrument that allows children to have fun while learning
about the mechanisms of electric power generation. So far it has sold more than forty-thousand units.
The new V3 model is designed especially for elementary school children. Easier to use byyounger pupils, it supports the enjoyment of science in elementary schools in the way that
only the Genecon is capable of.

Genecon V3

Cat. No. B10-2634
B10-2634-10 (set of 10)(manual electricity power generator for elementary schools)

LED adapter

Adapter variations available in addition to cables.
The size of the jack on the V3 is different tothat of the Genecon DUE, which uses a
different voltage, to avoid mistakes duringuse. Attaching various adapters allows lots ofdifferent experiments to be carried out. Two
different types of adapter that are easy andfun to use are currently available. We also
intend to add further varieties in the future.

Miniature light bulb adapter
Simple specifications that are easy touse for elementary school students andteachers alike.
A safe and easy-to-use 3V (approximately) generation voltage.
Cords color-coded for positive and negative so that evenelementary school students can recognize them at a glance.

Toughened gears for prolonged use.

Specifications
Output: Approximately 3V DC
Material: Polycarbonate
Special Cord: Length 1m socket type with clips
Size and Weight:115 x 140 x 43mm, approximately 120g
* Genecon is the registered trademark of NaRiKa Corporation.

06

Accessories
B10-2634-50
B10-2632-49
B10-2634-01
B10-2634-02

Replacement Code for Genecon V3
Replacement Gear 1ea/set for Genecon V3 and Due
LED light bulb adapter
Miniature light bulb adapter

Safe , Simple ,Easy to Use.
The arrival of the
Genecon V3
designed for earlylearners.

500,000
units soldsince 1981

Enduring and fun electricity
experiments for science classrooms.

Genecon DUE

Cat. No. B10-2632
B10-2632-10 (set of 10)(manual electricity power generator)

The world’s best-seller that has changed the image ofscience experiments and introduces children to the funof actually generating electricity.
Turning the handle causes the motor to operate, which
generates electricity. The Genecon DUE is an educational
instrument perfectly suited to experiments that explain themechanism of power generation in an easy and fun way. The
clear body allows the mechanism to be seen while in use. The
unit is equipped with a special high-quality Genecon motor. A
wide range of modules are also available to broaden the scopeof possible experiments.

A clear body makes the mechanism obvious at a glance.

* Genecon is the registered trademark of NaRiKa Corporation.

Specifications
Output: Maximum of approximately 12V DC
Material: Polycarbonate
Special Cord: Length 1m socket type with clips
Size and Weight: 115 x 140 x 43mm, approximately 120g

Accessories
B10-2632-50
B10-2632-49

Replacement Code for Genecon Due
Replacement Gear 1ea/set for Genecon V3 and Due

07

Generator or Motor?

Procedure:
1. Label one GENECON “A” and the other “B”. Attach
the Leads of “A” directly to the leads of “B”. Have
one student turn the handle of GENECON “A” while
another student holds “B” by the grip only. Most
students will be surprised by the result: the handle
of “B” is turning: Is it clockwise orcounterclockwise?
2. What happens to “B” when the student operating
GENECON “A” reverses its direction of rotation?
3. What happens when GENECON “B” is operated
while “A” is held passively by the handle? Which
one is the “motor” GENECON now?

Materials : 2 GENECON with output cords

Bulbs in Parallel

Procedure:
1. Connect the alligator clips on the output leads of
GENECON to either pair of terminals on the Parallel
Bulb Base as shown in the sketch below:
2. Put a bulb in the socket nearest the terminals
being used. Light the bulb by rotating the handle of
the GENECON briskly but not excessively.
3. Place bulbs loosely in each of the three remaining
sockets. As one student continues to operate the
GENECON at a constant speed, another student
should screw in these bulbs ione at a time. As thebulbs light one after the other, what effect is felt by
the GENECON operator?
4. This effect can be experienced again as each of
the bulbs is taken out of the circuit one-by-one in
the reverse other.

Materials : GENECON with output cords
Parallel Bulb Base : B10-2631-02
4 bulbs (3.8V, 3A)

08

The Terminal Effect

Procedure:
1. Connect the leads of the GENECON to the
Exoerigic Device (a resistor combined with a liquid
crystal thermometer).
2. Note the temperature is the green number. If two
numbers equally bright, the temperature is the odd
number in between.
3. Rotate the handle of the GENECON at a steadyrate for about 60 seconds. Read the temperature
again.

Materials : GENECON with output cords
Exoerigic Experiment Device 6/PK: B10-2631-01
Thermometer
Nichrome wire

Electrolysis of Water

Materials :GENECON with output cords
Electrolysis Apparatus for student(6 umits set): F35-1305*2% sodium hydroxide solution, 500ml*matches
Wood splints
Safety goggles

Current Detector

4. For another simple variation of this activity, tightly
wrap a 25cm length of nichrome wire around thebulb of a thermometer. Connect the leads of the
GENECON to the ends of nichrome wire. Have a
student record the initial temperature and then turnthe handle of the GENECON briskly for about 30
seconds. Note the change in temperature.

Procedure:
1. Fill the tank with the sodium hydroxide solution
which will serve as an electrolyte. Using the plastic
test tube holder provided, fill the two test tubes
which the solution and invert them over theelectrodes. There should be no air in the tubes.
2. Connect the leads of the GENECON to theelectrodes underneath the tank, as shown in thesketch below. The positively charged,
colour-coded electrode will become the sire for thecollection of oxygen gas. The hydrogen gas willcollect at the negative electrode. Rotate the handleof the same tube, creating a potentially dangerous
mixture.

Procedure:
1. Wrap a length of the copper wire around themagnetic compass. The rim of the case is grooved
to facilitate wrapping of the wire. About 6 or 7
wraps should be adequate. Scrape the clear
insulation off the ends of the wires before
connecting them to the leads of the GENECON.
2. Move the compass so that the needle aligns itself
in the same direction as the wraps of wire.

Materials : GENECON with output cords
Parallel Bulu Base
Magnetic compass
4 bulbs (3.8V, 3A)
Enameled copper wire

3. Have a student turn the handle of the GENECON
slowly. Even the slightest rotation will cause theneedle to be deflected from its resting position,
indicating the presence of an electric current.
4. Now reverse the direction of rotation of the
GENECON’s handle. Result?

09Gently turn the handle to generate more than
10,000V of high voltage static electricity!
A wide range of static electricity experiments
now possible without the use ofa Van Der Graaf generator!

Electrostatic High-Voltage Genecon Cat. No. B10-1324
Gently turn the handle to generate more than 10,000V of highvoltage static electricity!
A wide range of static electricity experiments now possible without theuse of a Van Der Graaf generator!
Until now, high-voltage static electricity generators (Van Der Graaf
Generators) were required to carry out electricaldischarge experiments between the Hamilton flywheel, the Moore
motor and metal collecting electrodes. The new, inexpensive
Electrostatic High-Voltage Genecon now
allows these experiments to be performed in the classroom
with far greater ease and less cost.

Until now, high-voltage static electricity
generators (Van Der Graaf Generators) wererequired to carry out electrical discharge
experiments between the Hamilton flywheel,
the Moore motor and metal collecting electrodes.
The Electrostatic High-Voltage Genecon, whichenables high-voltage static electricity experiments to be
carried out without the need for expensive equipment.
The inexpensive Electrostatic High-Voltage Genecon now allows
experiments that were once only possible with a Van Der Graaf
Generator.
Specifications
Power Generation Voltage: 10,000V or moreSize: 223 x 255mm, 75mm thickness(generator roller area)
Weight: Approximately 400g

Cat. No.
B10-1324

Model
NaRiKa Electrostatic High-Voltage Genecon* Materials and specifications are subject to modification without prior notice.

10

Electric Pendulum

Cat. No. B10-1324-01

An experimental component used with the Electrostatic
High-Voltage Genecon. A black pendulum ball swings
backward and forward between two electrodes
electrically charged at high voltage.
Specifications
Outer Casing: φ50mm Acryl resin
Pendulum: Black conductive sphere
Weight: Approximately 2.7g
Electrodes: SilverSize: φ38mm
Cat. No.
B10-1324-01

Model

Experiments
in progress

NaRiKa Electric Pendulum

Aluminum Collecting ElectrodeCat. No. B10-1324-03

Tape vinyl string leading to the collecting electrode inplace. Applying high-voltage static electricity causes thestring to stand out along the line of electrical force.
Placing finely-cut tissue paper on the collecting electrodeand then applying high-voltage static electricity causes
the tissue to fly up into the air like a shower of petals. It isalso possible to use two collecting electrodes toexperiment with high-voltage discharges. These
Aluminium Collecting Electrodes are indispensable forexperiments in static electricity.
Experiments in progressSpecifications
Collecting Electrode: Aluminum (φ50 x 2mm)
Base: Acryl (with rubber feet) 100 x 100 x 5mm
Post: Acrylresin (φ10 x 150mm)
Weight: Approximately 115g
Cat. No.
B10-1324-03

Model
NaRiKa Aluminum Collecting ElectrodeObserving the line of electrical force High-voltage discharge experiment

Static Electricity Motor Assembly Kit Cat. No. B10-1324-06
Create a Franklin Motor that is rotatedwith attraction and repelling forces.
Set Contents
One plastic cup
One acrylic motor base
One drawing pin
One aluminum box (for the electrode)
Aluminum tape
Two small clips (for the electrode)Cat. No.
B10-1324-06

Model
NaRiKa Static Electricity Motor Assembly Kit

Experiments
in progress
11

Dramatically Increase
the Speed of Measurement.
Improved BeeSpi Functions in Alignment
with the Requirements of the Classroom.
A new [ ] version of the BeeSpi, which measures speed from the difference in time required for anelement to pass between two sensors, is now available. In addition to km/h, speeds can now be measured
and displayed in units of m/s and cm/s. The results of up to five measurements can also be stored in thememory. Improved experiment efficiency in answer to the needs of science teachers.

BeeSpiCat. No. S77-1321
S77-1321-10 (set of 10)(Speed Measurement Gauge)

Speeds measured and displayed in three different units.
Increased experiment speeds.
It is now possible to measure and display speed units in m/s and cm/s, in addition to theconventional km/s. This eliminates the need to convert the units, and consequently speeds up
the time required for experiments.

Measurement result memory.Increased verification speed.

The new BeeSpi is equipped with a memory that can store up to five measurement results. This
enables experiments in response measurements and re-measurements with amended positions,etc., to be carried out smoothly, thereby increasing the speed of lessons and student
understanding.

Enjoyable horizontal projection experiments that conjure up the feeling of taking
part in ski jump contests.
Horizontal projection experiments to discover how the projected distances of a ball differ when
the height of the slope and the weight of the ball are changed. The BeeSpi enables the students
to see the initial speed of the ball and the relationship between the initial speed and projecteddistance. An amazing device to stimulate the imagination.

Speed measurement experiment with a dynamics carriage.
Experiments measuring speed and acceleration with the use of a dynamics carriage. This is
usually carried out with the use of a recording timer to create a graph at the impact point
recorded on tape. Although this is a very important procedure, the BeeSpi measures speed andacceleration in no time at all. This provides additional time to analyze the results of theexperiments, and helps the students acquire a deeper understanding.

12

Save Speed,
Acceleration andEnergy, etc.
Enjoy a Wide Variety ofExperiments with a
Wide Range of
Combinations.

What is the relationship between speed and height?
Great for learning about speed and positional energy.
It appears that the speed of a ball rolled down a slope differs at its high and low points. But,
understanding the principle of this is not easy when just reading about it in a textbook without actually
performing an experiment. It is difficult to spare the time during busy lessons to take a measurement
and then repeatedly change the height to take additional measurements. The BeeSpi provides theperfect solution for this. Placing several BeeSpi units on a slope means that a wide range of different
principles can be understand from the results on just a single experiment.

Specifications
Speed: 0 to 999.9cm/s, 0 to 99.9m/s, 0 to 99.99km/h
Wrap Time: 0 to 99.99sec
Accumulated Wrap Time: 0 to 99.99sec
Power Source: Two size AAA batteries (sold separately)
Size: Approximately 60 x 60 x 50mm
Weight: Approximately 55g (excluding batteries)
Functions: Clock function, memory function

13

Observing Radiation Rays in a Cloud Chamber
Did you know that we are surrounded on all sides by radiation?
Although radiation is usually connected with accidents at nuclear power plants and atomic bombs, which
has given it a bad name, it is also extremely useful in our daily lives for curing cancer, diagnosing diseaseand creating new substances, etc. Radiation comes from outer space and from certain radioactive
substances on earth, and surrounds us on all sides. The NaRiKa Cloud Chamber converts invisible
radiation rays into visible paths.

Cloud ChamberCat. No. B10-7758

Using an air-cooled high-performance
Peltier module with a large 100mm
square observance layer andhigh-brightness white LED, traces ofnatural radiation come into clear focus.

Specifications

Traces of thick, short, straight alpha rays.
14

Cooler: Air-cooled electronic freezer (equipped with a high-performance
Peltier module)
Lighting: Ultra-bright white LEDs
Power supply: AC 240V / 300W
Maximum Electrical Consumption: 300W
Size and Weight: 430 x 304 x 248mm (excluding protrusions,)
approximately 15kg
* Ethanol with a purity rate of 99.5% is required for experiments.

Radiation Q & A
Q: What type of radiation rays can be seen in a
Cloud Chamber?
Only traces of charged particles (particular ions thathave been saturated in electricity) can be seen withdirect observations. In other words, only traces ofalpha rays (from the atomic nucleus of helium) andbeta rays (electrons,) are visible.
Q: How can radiation rays be seen with a
Cloud Chamber?
This is achieved through the evaporation of ethanol
within the Cloud. It is necessary to heat the top of thechamber to between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius andthe bottom of the chamber to less than -30 degrees
Celsius in order to evaporate the ethanol, and when
this condition is satisfied, a supersaturated area of
ethanol with an approximate thickness of 15mm
forms on the bottom. The radiation rays, which arecharged particles, become ionized when they
penetrate this supersaturated area, and traces of theethanol atoms that have been tricked into becoming
the nucleus of the ions are formed in the same way as
white vapor clouds appear in the wake of an airplane.
Q: Does that mean that a special cooling device isneeded to obtain the -30 degrees Celsius required tooperate the Cloud Chamber?
The bottom of the chamber is cooled with dry-ice or
liquid nitrogen in most classroom experiments.
However, there are certain drawbacks with this, suchas schools in areas where these substances are noteasily available and the problem of storing them inthe long-term. It is also extremely difficult to maintaina stable temperature of -30 degrees Celsius at thebottom of the chamber even when they are available.
Furthermore it is necessary to ensure a temperature
difference of between 60 and 70 degrees Celsius inorder to operate the low-temperature resistance
Cloud Chamber.
This is why we at NaRiKa came up with the Peltier
Cloud Chamber. The SML-01 uses a combination ofice made in a freezer and a Peltier module and the
SML-02 uses a combination of an air-cooling fan anda Peltier module to maintain a temperature of -30
degrees Celsius at the base of the chamber, and thisenables radiation traces to be observed under perfectconditions at any time.

15

2010. Printed in Japan