Collaborative Research: CI-TEAM Demonstration Project for Real-Time Interactive and Collaborative Cyberinfrastructure for Teaching and Training for Hands-on Nanotechnology

该项目建议展示一种新的实时、互动和协作的网络基础设施，用于教学和培训动手纳米技术。这一方法是基于互联网和机器人技术的最新进展，使大学生和从事纳米技术的专业人员能够采用新的和创新的教学和培训方法。这个拟议项目的目标是展示我们新开发的网络基础设施将如何使不同地理位置的人们能够一起工作或学习，并能够基于触觉反馈(如力反射)以及视频和音频反馈来控制远程纳米制造系统或科学仪器。因此，可以实现安全、可靠和高效的基于互联网的协作和学习环境。这项计划的主要组成部分包括(1)应用基于互联网的机器人技术和协作学习方法，将新技术和新科学仪器与受地点限制和经济限制的各级学生联系起来；(2)应用基于互联网的SuperMedia(视频、音频、触觉、温度和其他感官反馈)技术，将学生与无形环境(如远程纳米环境)联系起来，以支持互动协作和学习；(3)对SuperMedia使能的互动和协作环境在纳米技术教学和培训方面的有效性和效率进行量化评估和分析；(4)最后，创建可大规模应用于许多其他机构的技术基础，这些机构服务于广泛的学生。这一项目的成果将不仅在工程领域产生影响，而且将通过以下方式产生广泛的科学和社会领域的影响：(1)显著提高实时交互和协作技术的可及性；(2)为互联网技术的应用提供新的维度，使互联网成为一条行动高速公路，而不仅仅是信息高速公路；(3)帮助学生和专业人员以新的方式学习和理解纳米技术、纳米制造、机器人和信息技术，特别是来自代表群体以及中学生/高中生的学生和专业人员；(4)提供以成本为基础的技术，以具有成本效益的方式创造一支多元化和具有国际意识的未来劳动力。

This project proposes to demonstrate a new real-time interactive and collaborative cyberinfrastructure for teaching and training hands-on nanotechnology. The approach is based on the recent advances in Internet and robotics technologies to enable new and innovative methods of teaching and training for university students and professionals involved with nanotechnology. The goal of this proposed project is to demonstrate how our newly developed cyberinfrastructure will enable people at different geographic locations to work or learn together and be able to control a remote nanomanufacturing system or scientific instruments based on haptic feedback such as force refection in addition to video and audio feedback. As a result, safe, reliable and efficient Internet-based collaboration and learning environment can be achieved. The major components of this proposed project include (1) applying Internet-based robotics technology and collaborative learning methods to tie new technologies and new scientific instruments with the place-bound and economically-bound students at all levels; (2) applying Internet-based supermedia (video, audio, haptic, temperature and other sensory feedback) technology to tie students with intangible environments, such as remote nano environments, to support interactive collaboration and learning; (3) conducting a quantitative evaluation and analysis of the effectiveness and efficiency of the supermedia enabled interactive and collaborative environment for teaching and training hands-on nanotechnology; (4) finally creating the foundation of technology that can be adopted on a large scale to many other institutions that serve a wide range of students. The results of this project will have impact not only in the engineering fields, but also broad areas of science and the society by (1) significantly enhancing the accessibility of real-time interactive and collaborative technologies; (2) providing a new dimension to the application of Internet technology, which enables the Internet to become an action superhighway instead of only an information superhighway; (3) facilitating students and professionals with new means to learn and understand nanotechnology, nanomanufacturing, robotics and information technology, especially those from under represented groups as well as middle school/high school students; (4) providing the technological based for cost a cost effective way to create a diverse and international aware future work force.