# ORNL demonstrates AI-guided targeting for atomic-force microscopy

_Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT · AI, Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed SimuScan, an AI framework for atomic-force microscopy that uses synthetic training images to identify nanoscale features and direct follow-up scans.

In demonstrations involving fabricated nanostructures, DNA assemblies and bacterial cells, models trained mainly on simulated data transferred to real images. The system supports a closed-loop workflow in which scientists define the targets and constraints while the AI ranks regions for closer imaging. Researchers said integration with microscope software and reliability checks remain necessary.

## Sources

- [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-microscopes-nanoscale-features-sample.html)

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