OSMO is an innovative add on for the iPad that allows you to use tangible objects instead of the screen as an interface between the user and software.  If you check out the video above you can see it in action to get a better idea of how it operates.

This add on allows for a range of new opportunities that can be applied to education.  

Right now, the company has three different game sets that work with corresponding apps for iPad:

• Tangram: This old-fashioned Tangram game brings back a wave of childhood memories.
• Newton: Newton is a drawing app slash obstacle course.
• Words: This is a Scrabble-like game that asks you to guess the correct word based on the letters you see on the screen.

All of these games include brightly colored, physical toys that connect in real-time to the apps on your iPad.

This product is currently in it's infancy and has proved to be a very popular crowd funded product.  You can get on the order list

I would imagine within a year or two we will see this product mature and expand to assist students through the use of using their hands and toys in a more traditional manner than simply doing everything through a screen.

Full details can be found here.