Geomag

Geomag is the brand name of a toy construction system created in 1998, consisting primarily of nickel-plated steel balls (spheres) and short connecting sticks with a magnet on each end (rods). With these two basic elements, a huge number of geometric shapes and structures can be built. more...

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Adding panels helps to form rigid structures.

Models are constructed by magnetically connecting the rods and spheres together in a lattice formation. Homemade experiments show that each stick can produce up to roughly 4.116N of force when attracting iron. They are so strong that if you put a bunch of the rods in a row and hang them from the ceiling, they can be pushed back and forth, much like a pendulum, and they won't fall down.

Structures can easily be built and easily taken apart - thus providing builders with more opportunities to let their imagination and ideas take shape. They teach children important lessons about problem solving, creativity, and physics. Unlike other magnetic toys (such as Magnetix), geomag is much harder to break, and more difficult to be swallowed by small children.

Geomag was named the 2005 Toy of the Year by the Toy Industry Association.

They are also a popular office executive toy. Also they are increasingly used in more serious mathematical and scientific presentations due to their fast assembly, alteration and breakdown.

Geomag updated its line by introducing the new Geomag Gift Range in early 2006. This new Premium line comprises special colored rods - and either Makrolon® polycarbonate panels from Bayer Material Science AG, or rare Wengé Wood panels.

There are several other toy systems similar to Geomag, many of which seem to be compatible with Geomag but in reality are not totally compatible due to the precise length of bar needed to create true geometric forms which are consistent and stable. For example:

Madmag; Magic Joint; Magmax; Magstix; Magz; Xmag;

Some of the above have added features, such as bars of differing (or even adjustable) length, curved bars, or bars connecting to three or more spheres.

Most magnetic ball and bar systems have a few weaknesses. Any vertex ball with many magnets attached usually needs some of them flipped to balance the North and South-iness of the connections for maximum strength. The magnets add a lot of weight to a structure, limiting the size you can build. The balls allow bars to spin and shift freely, so the structure either needs lots of extra supporting beams, or panels to hold its shape.

Read more at Wikipedia.org