Manipulation of the Very Small

Imagine, if you will, that you’ve found an old desktop computer, and you want to figure out how it was made. The more detailed the better—ideally, you want to be able to go online and order the exact same parts and assemble them the exact same way, kludges and all. Unfortunately, you’re locked in a cage a hundred feet away, and all you have to work with are a bunch of remote-controlled robots with hammers and chisels.