Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Photochemistry and Spectroscopy group

University of Toronto Energenius Center for Advanced Nanotechnology / Electronic-Photonic Materials Group

National Institute of Standards and Technology Project on Nanomanufacturing of Atom-Based Standards (final project report)

The VisBio program is a biological visualization tool designed for easy visualization and analysis of multidimensional image data. This is aimed at the same goals that our VTK-based visualization tool is. We are evaluating its functions and are in contact with its author to determine how best to integrate the two applications

Nanotec Electronica in Madrid, Spain is "a young company devoted to the design, construction and development of Scanning Probe Microscopes and related devices." www.nanotec.es They have a free windows based application (called WSxM) for data acquisition and processing in scanning probe microscopy.

Brian Hubert at MIT media laboratory has developed a "pick-and-place" nano-assembly machine.

Direct control of a Topometrix SPM over the Internet is being done by the PRISM research group at Arizona State University. This group is using the UNC nanoManipulator software for local ethernet access to the microscope and developing their own IN-VSEE (Interactive Nano-Visualization in Science and Engineering Education) software to allow remote control and visualization. The IN-VSEE project is trying to bring nanotechnology into high school and college classrooms, allowing them to control the microscope and interact with one another over the web.

Stan Williams, one of the founders of the nanoManipulator project, recently gave a lecture at the Annual Technology Forecast 2000 on going beyond current computing architectures (towards nanometer-scale feature sizes).

The Tele-Nanorobotics group at the University of Tokyo is developing several systems, including a micro tele-manipulation system, and a tele-nanorobotics system.

The Institute of Robotics at ETH (Zurich) has a Nanotechnology thrust.

Laboratory for Molecular Robotics at USC.

Remote microscope control and advanced visualization at NCSA.

The Center for Light Microscope Imaging at Carnegie-Mellon University is investigating the use of graphics supercomputers to provide rapid analysis of data from roboticized optical microscopy workstations.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ITG-Computer Vision and Robotics group provides internet-wide control of optical and TEM microscopes, and allows remote manipulation of environmental parameters.

The visualization lab at IBM Almaden (quantum corrals!).

An index to many nanotechnology-related pages.

(Fun one) A Lego MindStorms implementation of a Scanned Probe.

Scanning and Local Probe Techniques

The nanoWorkbench
The nanoWorkbench we have developed adds force feedback to the concept of a Responsive Workbench like that developed by Wolfgang Krueger at the GMD, with follow-on work at the Naval Research Laboratory and at Stanford University (Stanford is also working to add force feedback to their system, also using a PHANTOM).

The nanoWorkbench is also like the ImmersaDesk at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Another similar system is the Mirage system at the Institute for Simulation and Training at the University of Central Florida, which is a front-projected display.

There are commercially-available systems from Pyramid systems (they sell the ImmersaDesk), the Immersive Workbench from Fakespace (Actually, Pyramid systems and Fakespace have merged.), and the Visionmaker PS (with stylus input) made by Input Technologies.

Papers on force-feedback microscope control (with preces)
Hatamura, Y. and H. Morishita, "Direct Coupling System Between Nanometer World and Human World," Proceedings IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, pp 203-208, Napa Valley, California, 1990. University of Tokyo ME dept. Propose a nanomanipulator system called "Nanorobot System," a stereo SEM with a two-handed manipulator. A 6-axis positioner held in the left hand manipulates the sample, while a 3-axis tool in the right hand probes it. A 6-axis force detector senses contact force and presents it to the user. Feedback from strain gauges eliminates hysteresis. They built a prototype: 1-axis force sensor (visually displayed) on 1-axis sample positioner, 3-axis tool (needle) positioner; 1.01 micron accuracy over a 12.5 micron throw in x,y,z. They have developed a prototype 6-axis positioner; accuracy of 0.01 microns over 10 microns, rotatio of 800 microradians around x and y, 400 around z.

Hollis, R.L., S. Salcudeau and D.W. Abraham, "Toward a Tele-Nanorobotic Manipulation System with Atomic Scale Force Feedback and Motion Resolution," Proceedings IEEE Micro Electro Machanical Systems, pp 115-119, Napa Valley, California, 1990.

IBM T.J. Watson. Built and active magnetic levitation force device (Magic Wrist) and coupled it to the control of an STM. (x,y) of device drives STM, z of STM drives device. Wrist is 6DOF, 1 micron 0.001 degree over 8mm and 10 degrees, 40 Hz bandwidth. Points out that hysteresis is a problem with freehand motion more than with single-direction scanning. Could feel gold, but underlying noise made it feel like it vibrated. Could not feel graphite atoms (too much noise). Does not present lateral force, just force in z.

Papers on nano visualization
Luckenbill, Laurie, Hintze, Kirsten, Ramakrishna, B. L., Pizziconi, Vincent, "Interactive Nano-Visualization in Science and Engineering Education: Conforming Technology to Transform Education. The IN-VSEE Project," Interactive Multimedia Electronic Journal of Computer-Enhanced Learning, section 3.2, 1999. (published at the Edmedia99 conference)

Commercial Sites Involving Haptic Display
Cybernet Systems Corporation: Cybernet Systems WWW Home Page
Exos, Inc. (sold to Microsoft in 1996)
Immersion Corporation: Immersion Home page
SensAble Technologies, Inc.: PHANTOM haptic interface
Virtual Technologies, Inc.: Virtual Technologies Home