9.6.3 Stiffness Measurement of Single Yeast Cells by Nanoprobes . 184
9.7 Summary ..................................................................................................... 185
Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. 186
References ............................................................................................................. 186
166
Biologically Inspired Robotics
Abstract
Nanorobotic nanomanipulation inside electron microscopes is presented
in this chapter. We constructed an environmental scanning electron
microscope (E-SEM) nanomanipulation system to observe and manipulate biological samples in nanoscale resolution with water-containing
condition. The system can be used for various applications in the direct
observation and manipulation of biological samples with nondrying,
nondyeing, noncoating treatments, with a 7-degrees of freedom nanomanipulator with a sharp pyramidal end-effector and a cooling stage;
that is, a temperature controller. We demonstrated in situ measurements
of mechanical properties of individual W303 wild-type yeast cells using
several types of nanoprobes. Compression experiments to penetrate the
cell walls of single cells of different cell sizes (about 3–6 μm diameter)
and growth phases (early log, mid-log, late log, and saturation) were
conducted. The advantage of the integrated E-SEM nanomanipulation
system relies on its capability to perform in situ local direct observation
and manipulation of biological samples and its ability to control environmental conditions.
9.1 Background of Nanorobotic Manipulations
The possibility of controlling the structure of matter atom by atom, which
is now called nanotechnology, was first discussed seriously by Richard
Feynman in 1959 (Feynman 1960). Nanotechnology has an important role
in combinations of the top-down and bottom-up approaches to construct
highly-integrated devices as shown in Figure 9.1. Wide-scale controlled
devices from the atomic scale to meter scale will be realized in the near
future.
Presently, nanomanipulation can be applied to the scientific exploration of
mesoscopic phenomena and the construction of prototype nanodevices. It is
a fundamental technology for property characterization of nanomaterials,
nanostructures, and nanomechanisms; for the fabrication of nanoscale building blocks; and for the assembly of nanodevices. Nanoelectromechanical
systems (NEMS) are expected to realize highly integrated, miniaturized,
and multifunctional devices for various applications (Craighead 2000). To
realize such a high precision system, direct usage of bottom-up fabricated
nanostructures is effective.
9.7 Summary ..................................................................................................... 185
Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. 186
References ............................................................................................................. 186
166
Biologically Inspired Robotics
Abstract
Nanorobotic nanomanipulation inside electron microscopes is presented
in this chapter. We constructed an environmental scanning electron
microscope (E-SEM) nanomanipulation system to observe and manipulate biological samples in nanoscale resolution with water-containing
condition. The system can be used for various applications in the direct
observation and manipulation of biological samples with nondrying,
nondyeing, noncoating treatments, with a 7-degrees of freedom nanomanipulator with a sharp pyramidal end-effector and a cooling stage;
that is, a temperature controller. We demonstrated in situ measurements
of mechanical properties of individual W303 wild-type yeast cells using
several types of nanoprobes. Compression experiments to penetrate the
cell walls of single cells of different cell sizes (about 3–6 μm diameter)
and growth phases (early log, mid-log, late log, and saturation) were
conducted. The advantage of the integrated E-SEM nanomanipulation
system relies on its capability to perform in situ local direct observation
and manipulation of biological samples and its ability to control environmental conditions.
9.1 Background of Nanorobotic Manipulations
The possibility of controlling the structure of matter atom by atom, which
is now called nanotechnology, was first discussed seriously by Richard
Feynman in 1959 (Feynman 1960). Nanotechnology has an important role
in combinations of the top-down and bottom-up approaches to construct
highly-integrated devices as shown in Figure 9.1. Wide-scale controlled
devices from the atomic scale to meter scale will be realized in the near
future.
Presently, nanomanipulation can be applied to the scientific exploration of
mesoscopic phenomena and the construction of prototype nanodevices. It is
a fundamental technology for property characterization of nanomaterials,
nanostructures, and nanomechanisms; for the fabrication of nanoscale building blocks; and for the assembly of nanodevices. Nanoelectromechanical
systems (NEMS) are expected to realize highly integrated, miniaturized,
and multifunctional devices for various applications (Craighead 2000). To
realize such a high precision system, direct usage of bottom-up fabricated
nanostructures is effective.