Low-Cost Haptics and Visualization to Learn the Atomic Force Microscope Force-Distance Curve
- Conference
- Location
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Minneapolis, MN
- Publication Date
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August 23, 2022
- Start Date
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June 26, 2022
- End Date
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June 29, 2022
- Conference Session
- Page Count
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21
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--40788
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/40788
- Download Count
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233
Paper Authors
John Liu Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. John Liu is the principal investigator of the MIT Learning Engineering and Practice (LEAP) Group, which applies design and systems principles to solving challenges in learning and develops learning experiences to better meet the increasing demand for STEM skills in tomorrow’s workforce. He is a Lecturer in MIT's Mechanical Engineering department and Scientist of the MITx Digital Learning Laboratory. Dr. Liu's work includes engineering education, mixed reality and haptic experiences, workforce solutions to address the nation-wide manufacturing skills gap, open-ended assessments for scalable education settings, and instructional design theory for massively open online courses.
Nisal Ovitigala
I'm an international student from Sri Lanka that graduated MIT with a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. During my time at MIT, I spent a lot of time as an undergraduate researcher in various research groups such as conducting metallurgy research in the Taşan group, robotics research at the d'Arbeloff lab, and engineering education research with the LEAP group.
One of my projects with the LEAP group was developing a computer interface to remotely manipulate and view a light microscope so that virtual students enrolled in the Micro/Nano Engineering Lab class can have a hands on experience during the COVID lockdowns.
My senior thesis with the LEAP group was to develop a hands on, low-cost and intuitive device for students to learn the core principles of an AFM's functionality and in turn reduce the barrier to entry for the field of nanotechnology.
I now work at Formlabs as a Test Engineer that validates quality and functionality of systems in 3D printers
Benita Comeau Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Emily Welsh Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ms. Welsh works as an educational technologist in the LEAP Group at MIT. Her work includes the development and running of MOOCs, the development of digital education tools, and researching how digital tools impact learning. Her background is in mechanical engineering with a focus on manufacturing. Prior to joining MIT, she worked at an original equipment manufacturer.
Nicholas Fang Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Acquiring competency in nanotechnology requires understanding of phenomena that are inaccessible to the everyday macro-world experience of the student. Significant capital requirements for nanoengineering laboratory equipment and small student cohort sizes limit student opportunities for hands-on learning. These factors may present barriers to entry for introductory students to pursue a career in nanotechnology. Haptics and interactive visualization afford students the opportunity to gain intuition through active learning and engaging different senses; however, commercial haptics setups are often prohibitively expensive for the average lab.
We explore the feasibility of teaching non-intuitive nanotechnology concepts by designing, developing, implementing, and assessing a low-cost haptics and visualization activity for the teaching of the force-distance curve concept and its connection to the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Forces and length scales relevant to AFM measurements are well below what we experience in our everyday lives, making the study and understanding of this topic difficult for students to intuitively understand. The haptic feedback controller and accompanying computer application enable students to “feel and see” the forces an AFM tip experiences as it approaches the surface of a measured sample. This instructional activity has now been implemented in an undergraduate-level class (“Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory”) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in which mechanical engineering students obtain their first experience with nanotechnology. Students were split into two groups for instruction and assessment; students in Group 1 (N=7) received traditional lab instruction and students in Group 2 (N=4) received the same activity with haptic and visualization as a medium for relaying information.
Post-instruction assessment reveals promising learning outcomes. Group 1 students scored an average of 55% and Group 2 students scored an average of 96%. The software is scalable, and the developed controller costs ~$150 — as opposed to thousands of dollars for a traditional haptics controller — making the activity feasible for a range of teaching labs. The work presented in this paper suggests that haptics and visualization can serve as useful tools to teach challenging nanotechnology concepts, thereby making the field accessible and attractive to a broader range of students.
Liu, J., & Ovitigala, N., & Comeau, B., & Welsh, E., & Fang, N. (2022, August), Low-Cost Haptics and Visualization to Learn the Atomic Force Microscope Force-Distance Curve Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40788
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