7/17/2002: Micro bug on micro machine

Undertoad · 07-17-2002, 09:48 AM

Thanks to Avi of Worth1000 for this one!

Miniaturization pushes on. Sandia National Laboratories works on MEMS, or MicroElectroMechanical Systems. It's amazing stuff - they're tiny little machines, with gears the size of blood cells. These make it possible to do things that have never been done before. They've put up an Image Gallery for all of us to enjoy, including a set showing tiny little live bugs walking across their tiny machines.

Those are the legs of a spider mite. The surface it's standing on is the micro machine.

Is the mite going to damage it? No! At the site there are movies of bugs walking across micro machines, and even sitting on a little platform getting spun around at high speed. The machines and bugs both survive.

Griff · 07-17-2002, 01:23 PM

That put a smile on my face. As they fill the world with micro-machines, what happens to the poor spider mite? Will he need to evolve in any way as his enviroment changes?

That Guy · 07-17-2002, 02:33 PM

Maybe he can get a job asa micro-mechanic.

Griff · 07-17-2002, 02:38 PM

Yah, but who's gonna weave that nifty asa arm patch?

NateXLH1000 · 07-18-2002, 09:30 PM

I think that in order for an electron microscope to function properly, the sample has to be plated with a metal film. Also, inside an electron microscope is a vacuum.

You will just have to face facts that those innocent insects died for the sake of art.

jaguar · 07-19-2002, 01:12 AM

is it an electron microscope?

russotto · 07-19-2002, 02:06 PM

Naa, it's probably optical. If the gears are blood cell sized, the pic is well within the range of optical microscopes.

Bitman · 07-19-2002, 06:04 PM

I feel like quoting Slashdot here: "Doesn't Anyone REaD the ARtiCLE?!" (Yeah, I know there's no article, but still..) They only need a 200x scope for this stuff. At least, the live webcam is 200x, and the other pictures look about the same scale.

Tobiasly · 07-19-2002, 10:12 PM

If it's an optical scope, why aren't they in color? Oh, that's right, bugs see in black and white. No, wait a minute..

Go to the Image Gallery link.. the second picture from the top has some text at the bottom that looks like what would come from an electron microscope.

Of course, it's been a few years since I've pretended I was a chemist, so I could be wrong.

juju · 07-19-2002, 11:10 PM

Their website explains a bit about their microscope. But it's in scientist-speak, and I can't decipher it. :)

jaguar · 07-20-2002, 12:53 AM

Well if its *not* an electron microsocope, why is there no colour. If it is, why are there movies of the bugs moving?
I looked on the site, couldn't find anything conclusive so....

juju · 07-20-2002, 01:14 AM

Their website says that the microscope is capable of capturing clear images of the gears even if they are moving at high RPMs. This allows them to take several pictures in a sequence and determine how fast the gear is moving.

Anyway, if you're really curious you can call them up. :) Their phone number is on the site.

MaggieL · 07-20-2002, 09:02 AM

The microscope is optical. (There's a picture of it on the site.) Probably the imaging is monochrome to keep the digital size down.

Tobiasly · 07-21-2002, 10:04 AM

I just assumed the microscope used to take the still, black-and-white images wasn't the same one used to do the moving-gears movies, since the images look completely different and the magnification appears to be orders of, um, magnitude apart.

Undertoad · 07-21-2002, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Griff
Yah, but who's gonna weave that nifty asa arm patch?

I read this a couple of times before it struck me: the micro-machine will weave the patch.

07-17-2002, 09:48 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	7/17/2002: Micro bug on micro machine Thanks to Avi of Worth1000 for this one! Miniaturization pushes on. Sandia National Laboratories works on MEMS, or MicroElectroMechanical Systems. It's amazing stuff - they're tiny little machines, with gears the size of blood cells. These make it possible to do things that have never been done before. They've put up an Image Gallery for all of us to enjoy, including a set showing tiny little live bugs walking across their tiny machines. Those are the legs of a spider mite. The surface it's standing on is the micro machine. Is the mite going to damage it? No! At the site there are movies of bugs walking across micro machines, and even sitting on a little platform getting spun around at high speed. The machines and bugs both survive.

07-17-2002, 01:23 PM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	That put a smile on my face. As they fill the world with micro-machines, what happens to the poor spider mite? Will he need to evolve in any way as his enviroment changes? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-17-2002, 02:38 PM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Yah, but who's gonna weave that nifty asa arm patch? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

07-18-2002, 09:30 PM	#5
NateXLH1000 Wiseacre Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Masshole Posts: 35	Electron microscope I think that in order for an electron microscope to function properly, the sample has to be plated with a metal film. Also, inside an electron microscope is a vacuum. You will just have to face facts that those innocent insects died for the sake of art. __________________ I have no signature.

07-19-2002, 01:12 AM	#6
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	is it an electron microscope? __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

07-17-2002, 02:33 PM	#3
That Guy He who reads, sometimes writes. Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: at the keyboard Posts: 791	Maybe he can get a job asa micro-mechanic.

07-19-2002, 02:06 PM	#7
russotto Professor Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,788	Naa, it's probably optical. If the gears are blood cell sized, the pic is well within the range of optical microscopes.

07-19-2002, 06:04 PM	#8
Bitman cellar smellar Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: californy, baby! Posts: 403	Zoom zoom I feel like quoting Slashdot here: "Doesn't Anyone REaD the ARtiCLE?!" (Yeah, I know there's no article, but still..) They only need a 200x scope for this stuff. At least, the live webcam is 200x, and the other pictures look about the same scale.

07-19-2002, 10:12 PM	#9
Tobiasly hot Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Jeffersonville, IN (near Louisville) Posts: 892	If it's an optical scope, why aren't they in color? Oh, that's right, bugs see in black and white. No, wait a minute.. Go to the Image Gallery link.. the second picture from the top has some text at the bottom that looks like what would come from an electron microscope. Of course, it's been a few years since I've pretended I was a chemist, so I could be wrong.

07-19-2002, 11:10 PM	#10
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	Their website explains a bit about their microscope. But it's in scientist-speak, and I can't decipher it. :)

07-20-2002, 12:53 AM	#11
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Well if its not an electron microsocope, why is there no colour. If it is, why are there movies of the bugs moving? I looked on the site, couldn't find anything conclusive so.... __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

07-20-2002, 01:14 AM	#12
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	Their website says that the microscope is capable of capturing clear images of the gears even if they are moving at high RPMs. This allows them to take several pictures in a sequence and determine how fast the gear is moving. Anyway, if you're really curious you can call them up. :) Their phone number is on the site.

07-20-2002, 09:02 AM	#13
MaggieL in the Hour of Scampering Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Jeffersonville PA (15 mi NW of Philadelphia) Posts: 4,060	The microscope is optical. (There's a picture of it on the site.) Probably the imaging is monochrome to keep the digital size down. __________________ "Neither can his Mind be thought to be in Tune,whose words do jarre; nor his reason In frame, whose sentence is preposterous..."

07-21-2002, 10:04 AM	#14
Tobiasly hot Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Jeffersonville, IN (near Louisville) Posts: 892	I just assumed the microscope used to take the still, black-and-white images wasn't the same one used to do the moving-gears movies, since the images look completely different and the magnification appears to be orders of, um, magnitude apart.

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