Thanks to [zen-tom] for the proper nomenclature. See the first two links for some good info.
Make a little model of the earth and let a couple thousand highly sophisticated micro electro mechanical systems wander through it. Let the electrical signals on this world feedback with a virtual reality environment that a couple thousand lucky humans and animals would venture though.
The little robots can be called MEMWs: Micro Electrial Mechanical Waldos.
As the system became updated, you could imagine some interesting possibilities.
It couls be used to allow vastly complex interactions in MEMS that might not be achieved otherwise.
[edit: 9/5/06] Ok, to try to put some meaningful application behind this... It is hard to replicate evolutionary mechanisms. Many attempts at doing so, with a computer program for instance, hit a limit of complexity and evolution ceases. With this world, you could allow humans to modify the machines they are manipulating. The human element would ensure continual evolution. Based on the surroundings, the humans would take advantage of the modularity of the machines and evolve suitable machines. Maybe these environmental conditions would be a micro(nano?)machining facility, itself. Then, the humans would evolve an optimal assembly line, and they would then be building micromachines using micromachines that they control in the VR. Kinda Matrixish, but not really since the matrix side is an actual environment and not something virtual.-- daseva, Sep 01 2006 About MEMS http://www.memsnet.org/mems/what-is.html [daseva, Sep 01 2006] Waldo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WaldoNo, not "Where's Waldo?" just waldo. [zen_tom, Sep 05 2006] Too general? I thought so at first, but the idea grew on me. If it's bieng done, I'd love to see a link. If its magic, I'd love to try to disprove that.-- daseva, Sep 01 2006 An idea explained in five scentences is fishy. I got it!-- daseva, Sep 03 2006 The idea itself does not include any possible applications. That is, the idea is to have an interactive world of micromechanical robots that are controlled by humans via a VR interface for no reason.-- daseva, Sep 03 2006 Yea, I can see that. It's an idea though, right?-- daseva, Sep 04 2006 It is an idea, but it is not an invention.-- Galbinus_Caeli, Sep 04 2006 Well, I'd ask you to back that up, but I myself have backed up very few statements in this post. I want to edit the body of the post at some point, because I do think this is an invention, and it's poorly thought out.
A novel application of preexisting technologies is an invention. That is what I think this is.-- daseva, Sep 05 2006 So, a lot of mini-waldos wondering about a not-so virtual world? [+]-- zen_tom, Sep 05 2006 Cool link, [zen]. I'm humbled by how early that novella was written. <edits title>-- daseva, Sep 05 2006 random, halfbakery