Development of a Nanoscale Virtual Environment Haptic

Interface for Teaching Nanotechnology to Individuals

who are Visually Impaired

Dianne Pawluk1, Curtis Taylor2, Marcia Hoffman1 and Maria McClintock1

1Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University

2Dept.of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida

With support from the National Science Foundation

VCU

2009 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition

22009 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition 2

Outline of Presentation

• What is haptics?• Motivation for using haptics to teach

nanotechnology• Background• Learning Modules• Preliminary Results• Future Plans

32009 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition

Traditional Teaching of Abstract Science and Nanotechnology

3

Traditional methods of teaching• lectures• rely on 2-D diagrams or display• poor engagement of students• difficult to conceptualize• more difficult for visually impaired

molecular machine

materialstructure

atomic structure

New methods needed to increase engagement and perception

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What is haptics?

• The combination of:

• Perception of forces and position

• Sense of touch

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Why Nanotechnology, Why Haptics?• Governments, educators and researchers

– Future demand for employees– Diversity

• educate, attract

• Students who are blind or visually impaired– No one can see what goes on at the

nanoscale– Pictures are not very intuitive in

describing forces• inclusiveness, opportunity

• Sighted students– Considerable portion haptic learners

• engaged, interest The first atomic force microscope

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Virtual Reality System with Haptics

• for a wide range of ages, compare to something familiar• include individuals who are blind or visually impaired,

sonification

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State-of-the-art in Haptics

Novint Falcon • affordable force feedback device, with position information• easily replicated in a classroom• allows for interactive, multi-sensory exploration of nanoscale concepts for sighted and visually impaired

Phantom (> $10,000) SideWinder (< $50)

Novint Falcon (< $200)

Haptics• training• surgery, flying aircraft, etc.• tele-nanomanipulation• teaching

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1. Size and Scale

2. Dominant Forces

3. Structure of matter

4. Instrumentation

5. Nanomachines

6. Nanoscale Fabrication

What are the big ideas in nanotechnology?S

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inee

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92009 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition 9

• Understanding of size continuum helps understand matter and materials

• Idea: controllably “zoom in” on objects that are familiar

• Implementation

– represent objects at different scales by gray-scale images

» intensity = height

– graphics

» triangular tesselation in openGL

– Haptics

» F = kvirtual* dpenetration

Module 1: Size and Scale

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2009 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition 10fo

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Module 2: Dominant Forces

Macroscale

Nanoscale

• gravity• inertia

• van der Waal• adhesion forces (electrostatic, capillary, etc.)

Properties of matter change with scale

Preliminary ResultsFor Teaching Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Falcon Force-Feedback Controller

Touching AtomsInteractive NanofabricationUnderstanding Atomic Potentials

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F = −AHR

6z2

12

2009 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition 12

• Developed new haptic-based, interactive simulations to teach abstract science and nanotechnology concepts • Developed learning modules to teach concepts of

• size and scale• dominant forces

• Demonstrated to prototype to elementary school, undergraduate and graduate students

• extremely positive reaction

• Will validate using: • cognitive measures • affective measures • compare to: vision alone and traditional methods

Conclusion