PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Comput. Sci.
Sec. Human-Media Interaction
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcomp.2025.1520930
How Math Shapes the World of Life Science Animation
Provisionally accepted
Rafael Oliveira1
Evellyn Araujo Dias1,2
Ricardo Santos1,3
Vinicius Cotta-de-Almeida1
José Coelho Neto4,5,6Luiz Anastácio Alves7*- 1Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 2Laboratory for Innovation in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 3Faculty of Technological Education of the State of rio de Janeiro (FAETERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 4Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 5veiga de almeida university, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 6Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 7Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Brazil
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With the advances in technology, it is noticeable the educational potential of animation in the field of cell biology, physiology and other basic life science disciplines, revolutionizing the learning process in science. This paper elucidates the role of matrix manipulation in animating figures on screens, elucidates the distinctions between Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), bitmap and raster images, and unveils the inner workings of the Bresenham algorithm in the context of rendering lines on screens. Furthermore, the article offers a practical dimension to this theoretical understanding by providing a comprehensive example of code written in JavaScript for generating an animation, also using HTML and CSS. This code example is designed to be easy to comprehend, even to those with limited programming experience, fostering the integration of animations into life science education. We synthesized findings from various studies to underscore the proven advantages of this new teaching tool, and by reviewing them, we reaffirm that animations have a demonstrable impact on improving the learning experience, making complex physiological processes more comprehensible and engaging. This highlights the critical role of animations as a pedagogical tool in science classrooms, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the mathematical and computational principles that support their creation. By bridging this knowledge gap, educators and students can make more effective and informed use of existing animation tools.
Keywords: animation, Biology, math, Secondary and undergraduate, programming
Received: 31 Oct 2024; Accepted: 10 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Oliveira, Araujo Dias, Santos, Cotta-de-Almeida, Coelho Neto and Alves. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Luiz Anastácio Alves, Laboratory of Cellular Communication, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Paraná, Brazil
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.