Atomic Force Microscope Functionality Simulation: Physical and Energetic Analogies

Using Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) to manipulate nano-objects is an actual challenge for both physicians and biologists. Many visual and haptic interfaces between the AFM and experimentalists have already been implemented. The multi-sensory renderings (seeing, hearing, feeling) studied from a cognitive point of view increase the efficiency of the actual interfaces and represent our challenge. To allow the experimentalist to feel and touch the nano-world, we add mixed realities between an AFM and a force feedback device, enriching thus the direct connection by a modeling engine. The functionality of an AFM is described in this paper through physical and energetic analogies. Firstly, we present a physical model, able to be simulated in real time that allows user to feel in his fingers and act on the virtual scene of a nano-world. The existing force between the AFM tip and the nano-surface in a cohesive interaction is transmitted to the experimentalist in real time through the designed model and the Force Feedback Gestural Device, making thus possible a human haptic perception of the approach-retract interaction. This minimal representation of the real and complex phenomenon of approbation interaction is then strengthened and validated by an electro-mechanical model, through which we integrate functional AFM components in a Simulink model. Secondly, we describe the same interactions from the dual energetic point of view. This representation enriches the force feedback rendering with a visual perception of the phenomenon. Therefore, the presented models and their results match the physical experiments and improve the existing interfaces by taking in account the full cognitive capabilities of the user.