Tool development for force-feedback micro manipulation system

Recent surge of micro machine and nanotechnology has drawn a lot of attentions. Especially, finding of carbon nanotube has been spurring many new applications which were thought out of reach before its finding. A field dealing with how to handle parts and structures in microscale or nanoscale is called micro-manipulation or nano, respectively. A lot of research works have been done in this field and some of such research outcomes are already in market for commercial use. However, their applicability is still limited partly because of lack of flexibility in hardware as well as in software. Objective of this study is to provide hardware and software tools for such micro manipulation systems which are considered to be useful for more variety of applications. Those tools are chosen from the viewpoint of force feedback which can provide a user with a virtual feeling so that he/she can sense an actual manipulation task on his/her own hands or fingers. Providing these choices not only helps prevailing micro manipulation systems but also makes research coordination and production coordination much easier.