Interactive remote collaboration with electron microscopes

摘要

Since the cost of an electron microscope easily runs into a million euros, many businesses and organisations simply cannot afford to buy such an expensive instrument. And though some companies, like the British/Dutch steel manufacturer Corus, would be able to afford one, they do not have the amount of work for it to justify the expense. Equally, there are many situations in which a researcher would like to discuss the microscope images with one or more colleagues located elsewhere, or when the pathologist's assistant asks his superior to hop over for a look at some abnormal images - three buildings away. Future Industrial Design engineers, inspired by the famous 19th century Mesdag panorama painting, the high point of many a school trip, have developed a virtual remote collaboration environment.