A metaverse laboratory setup for interactive atom visualization and manipulation with scanning probe microscopy

A metaverse laboratory setup for interactive atom visualization and manipulation with scanning probe microscopy | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article A metaverse laboratory setup for interactive atom visualization and manipulation with scanning probe microscopy Zhuo Diao, Hayato Yamashita, Masayuki Abe This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6153215/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 20 May, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract We present a metaverse laboratory system that integrates mixed reality (MR) technologies with scanning probe microscopy (SPM) for interactive atomic-scale visualization and manipulation. In order to accommodate both the visualization and input of SPM data in a virtual environment and the physical interaction with SPM-related equipment in the laboratory, the system incorporates a virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) framework to enable seamless switching between these two environments. Utilizing the pose-tracking capabilities in AR, users can intuitively interact with virtual interface elements and three-dimensional objects through physical hand gesture input to control SPM parameters and probe positioning. The system provides real-time visualization of scanned surfaces at the atomic scale in the virtual environment, enabling immediate feedback during experiments. To demonstrate the system’s capabilities, we performed atomic manipulation experiments using hand gestures for lateral probe positioning, showing how MR-enhanced SPM can simplify nanoscale operations and improve experimental efficiency. Our integrated MR-SPM system allows users to conduct experiments via the metaverse platform while enhancing the human-instrument interaction experience. It extends the practical utility required for both real-time physical and virtual environment SPM operations in the laboratory, making nanoscale research more accessible and intuitive. Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology/Techniques and instrumentation/Characterization and analytical techniques Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology/Techniques and instrumentation/Microscopy Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing/Information technology Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files multimedia.zip Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 20 May, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 29 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 29 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 19 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Apr, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 18 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 18 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 02 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6153215","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":445132562,"identity":"6060c03d-59ac-4958-8a44-7d676718b095","order_by":0,"name":"Zhuo Diao","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABEklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDCCw2DyAITzAYglYDKMDURoYZxBlJYDSCQzD7IWXIDvOPPDBwx/7iT2MzAf/mxTUScv2X6ATYKhxo6BeTZ2ayQPsxkbMPA8S5zZwJYmnXPmsOFsngSglmPJDIxzDmDVYnCYwUyCQeJw4oYDPGbMuW0HGOcx5H+TYGA7APRZAg4t7EAFBiAt/J8/W7bV2c/jfwC05R8+LTxAWxLAtjBIM7YxJ86WADqMsQ23FsnDPMUGCQcOG89sZjOT7DlzOHnmjAfMFol9yTy4/MJ3/vjGBx/+HJbtZ29+/OFHRZ3tjPMJjDc+fLOTM8QRYmAAdgAzmgiP4QzcOnAAeYKROgpGwSgYBSMEAADe+lwIUSHLCQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Osaka University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhuo","middleName":"","lastName":"Diao","suffix":""},{"id":445132563,"identity":"f71dec81-612d-4041-915f-dac64fb61cae","order_by":1,"name":"Hayato Yamashita","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Osaka University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hayato","middleName":"","lastName":"Yamashita","suffix":""},{"id":445132564,"identity":"bda72a97-a6ce-4675-9471-0ec2995d184e","order_by":2,"name":"Masayuki Abe","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Osaka University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Masayuki","middleName":"","lastName":"Abe","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-03-04 09:53:19","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6153215/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6153215/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01578-y","type":"published","date":"2025-05-20T15:58:28+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":83460124,"identity":"efbd961a-5a42-4cc2-b5eb-2c9b9fe5d98d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-05-26 16:10:44","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4213504,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"scirepsubmitR1.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6153215/v1_covered_f6f1bcaf-6c1d-4d9a-8a51-8741127a7da7.pdf"},{"id":81086441,"identity":"edbca6dc-225a-4b82-bd37-2f06da57d1f0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-22 06:10:41","extension":"zip","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":228920085,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"multimedia.zip","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6153215/v1/3756095aef914cebed5643dd.zip"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A metaverse laboratory setup for interactive atom visualization and manipulation with scanning probe microscopy","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6153215/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6153215/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"We present a metaverse laboratory system that integrates mixed reality (MR) technologies with scanning probe microscopy (SPM) for interactive atomic-scale visualization and manipulation. 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