Characterization of micro/nano-rheology properties of soft and biological matter combined with a virtual reality haptic exploration

Science education is often limited by the complexity of making acute knowledge accessible and easily remembered by a larger public. We proposed another way to introduce and teach complex scientific subjects like cell biology and polymer micro-rheology using haptic display and virtual reality. We combined the advantages of the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Fluorescence Microscopy (FM) in order to get complementary real experimental data on an isolated animal adhering on a protein micro-pattern. We obtained high resolution mapping images of the cell morphology, architecture, and local mechanical properties. Then this set of data was implemented in a free simulation engine connected to a low-cost haptic device to create a virtual and interactive cell or polymer environment in order to provide a novel sensory approach of the cell biology and/or micro(bio)mechanics.