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The idea of remote and virtual metrology has been reported already in 2000 with a conceptual illustration by use of
comparative digital holography, aimed at the comparison of two nominally identical but physically different objects, e.g.,
master and sample, in industrial inspection processes. However, the concept of remote and virtual metrology can be
extended far beyond this. For example, it does not only allow for the transmission of static holograms over the Internet,
but also provides an opportunity to communicate with and eventually control the physical set-up of a remote metrology
system. Furthermore, the metrology system can be modeled in the environment of a 3D virtual reality using CAD or
similar technology, providing a more intuitive interface to the physical setup within the virtual world. An engineer or
scientist who would like to access the remote real world system can log on to the virtual system, moving and
manipulating the setup through an avatar and take the desired measurements. The real metrology system responds to the
interaction between the avatar and the 3D virtual representation, providing a more intuitive interface to the physical setup
within the virtual world. The measurement data are stored and interpreted automatically for appropriate display within
the virtual world, providing the necessary feedback to the experimenter. Such a system opens up many novel
opportunities in industrial inspection such as the remote master-sample-comparison and the virtual assembling of parts
that are fabricated at different places. Moreover, a multitude of new techniques can be envisaged. To them belong
modern ways for documenting, efficient methods for metadata storage, the possibility for remote reviewing of
experimental results, the adding of real experiments to publications by providing remote access to the metadata and to
the experimental setup via Internet, the presentation of complex experiments in classrooms and lecture halls, the sharing
of expensive and complex infrastructure within international collaborations, the implementation of new ways for the
remote test of new devices, for their maintenance and service, and many more. The paper describes the idea of remote
laboratories and illustrates the potential of the approach on selected examples with special attention to optical metrology.
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