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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Maglev Mouse"
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(90 seconds)
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READER SCRIPT
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HOW TO LEVITATE A MOUSE... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. FOR YEARS, COMPUTER SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS HAVE TRIED TO BUILD A BETTER MOUSE. NOW, THE WORLD MAY WANT TO BEAT A PATH TO THE DOOR OF RALPH HOLLIS AT CARNEGIE MELLON'S ROBOTICS DEPARTMENT; HE HAS DEVELOPED A MOUSE THAT LETS YOU VIRTUALLY FEEL WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN. THE NEW MOUSE FLOATS ON A MAGNETIC FIELD IN THREE DIMENSIONS--AND ALL DIRECTIONS; IT TAKES CUES FROM OPTICAL SENSORS RELAYING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS BEING DISPLAYED. THIS MAGLEV MOUSE COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, GIVE YOU THE EXPERIENCE OF RUNNING YOUR HAND OVER THE SURFACE OF ROCKS ON MARS; YOU SENSE TEXTURES, TOPOGRAPHY, MOTION, AND RESISTANCE, IF YOU HIT INTO SOMETHING. THE WHOLE CONCEPT WORKS WITH A SINGLE MOVING PART--A "FLOTOR"--THAT LEVITATES ON THE MAGNETIC FIELD; IT IS SENSITIVE AND ACCURATE AT EVEN THE SMALLEST MICRO-SCALE. AND, BECAUSE SIGNALS ARE SENT BACK AND FORTH, IT CAN EVEN COMPENSATE FOR BACK-PRESSURE AGAINST THE SURFACE, FROM THE FORCE OF YOUR HAND. HOLLIS AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN PERFECTING THE DEVICE FOR OVER 10 YEARS--AND BELIEVE IT TO PROVIDE THE MOST-REALISTIC SENSE OF TOUCH OF ANY SUCH DEVICE IN THE WORLD TODAY. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
