The STM provides its information as an elevation map that is then interpreted and rendered by the graphics portion of the system. Experiments conducted in 1993 led to the discovery of nanoWelding. The team works closely with users in biology, solid-state physics, and gene therapy to develop techniques and displays they could use to solve problems in their fields. Force feedback during the pushes makes it possible to move the ball without destroying it and to avoid patches of surface contaminant. The ball starts in the circled position on the upper left image.
Yellow lines trace the path of the ball, showing where high force was used to push it.
The particle ends up in the gap as depicted in the lower-right image. Taking the two ends of the wire out to external contacts will allow measurement of the particle's energy states. Adenovirus particles Collaborators at the UNC Gene Therapy Center have used the nanoManipulator to examine adenovirus particles. Since these particles are used as gene-delivering vectors in gene therapy, there is considerable scientific interest in learning how these particles stick to and move around on cell surfaces. A preliminary experiment, illustrated to the right, shows that particles have been moved around on a cleared area of mica substrate.