Nowadays, abaci are often constructed as a woodenframewithbeadsslidingonwires, butoriginallytheywerebeads or stonesmovedingroovesin sand or on tablets of wood, stone, or metal.
Toy companies like Anatex and Imaginarium --a division of Toys R Us Holdings--still sell abaci too, since they're often used to teach mathematics to kids.
Corporate Connections: Abaci aren't as popular as they once were, but you can still buy one from companies like American Science and Surplus or Advance Engineering.
Abaci are still widely used in the East, with slight variations in design--such as the number of beads and wires, and the presence of dividing beams--occurring between countries.