The professor of molecular biology Art Olson and his colleagues from Scripps Research Institute have created new system of the expanded reality, allowing naked hands to spend manipulations with complex molecules.
The system "Tangible Interfaces for Structural Molecular Biology" is called.
By using cutting-edge three-dimensional fabricating printers that “print” solid objects out of thousands of layers of plaster or plastic, the group can construct models of proteins, DNA, and other tiny biological molecules. These models can be touched, twisted, tweaked, and tossed from person to person.
In these models the sizes and a relative positioning of atoms in details were reproduced. A role linkages,influencing interaction on these molecules with others, carried out tiny magnets alloying in corresponding places.
So, DNA is made of a number of the plastic "bases" sticking to each other. The form of ledges and hollows in "atoms" is responsible for correct connection of the necessary details.
The molecular model appears on the computer screen, tumbling and turning in real time as the person holding the object manipulates it, and software designed by the Scripps Research team enables the computer to superimpose scientific information about the molecule onto the display.
Over a table the chamber directed vertically downwards is strengthened. It removes hands of the biologist and model in them. This picture also is shown on the monitor before eyes, but not absolutely directly.
The program recognises movement in a shot and position of markers on a molecule surface. According to laws of chemistry and physics, the program draws various electronic clouds, threads of hydrogen or carbon connections on the screen and imposes other scientific information on object.
In this press release http://www.scripps.edu/news/press/032405.html>, it is possible to find many interesting photos and the video showing work of system.
As a result of a combination of tactile sensations from elastic plastic and the image on the screen the person has an illusion by direct manipulation by molecules. Thus he sees, when atoms can incorporate at rapprochement of objects and when - is not present.
If to pull together the "wrong" sides of Proteins, their edges are painted by the red.
So models in hands of the biologist - not toys, and a part of the research tool. And their image on the screen is accompanied by powerful "biological" calculations which the program makes behind a shot in a mode of real time.
The pieces represent protein molecules that come together to form a virus particle, and tiny magnets imbedded in them help orient them in the correct way. After some vigorous shaking, there is an assembled model of a virion inside the jar.
It, of course, a trick, but in presentation advantage of new system from which biologists hope better to understand subtleties of interaction of biological substances.
News
Site map
SitemapIndex
RSS Feed