Video of the UNC/UCLA NanoManipulator.

The NanoManipulator was a VR interface to a Scanning-Tunneling Microscope (STM). This novel user-interface (UI) for a microscope gave a human user simulated presence in a real, but microscopic, environment. The user could not only see the microscopic environment; the user could also "feel" it, using a haptic display device. Furthermore, the STM's probe (tip) could be used to make changes to the sample beneath the STM's tip. Therefore, in addition to observing, the user could also make modifications to the surface being scanned by the STM.

The co-inventors of the NanoManipulator were Warren Robinett (VR side) and Stan Williams (STM side). The NanoManipulator system was implemented by Russell M. Taylor as his PhD replica rolex thesis. The supervising faculty member was Fred Brooks.

More information can be found on my website: warrenrobinett.com