Scientific apparatus and instruments, in particular for scientific research in laboratories; electrical and electronic control apparatus; precision positioning systems, adjusting and positioning systems, in particular with piezo drives as parts of control and measuring instruments; electrically controlled mechanical adjusting devices in the form of control and regulation units; control and regulation units for adjusting devices, micro-positioning tables, in particular for optical waveguides and fibre optics; apparatus for moving mirrors in microscopes; control apparatus for microscopes, in particular for scanning atomic force microscopes, magnetic force microscopes, laser scanning microscopes and scanning electron microscopes; measuring instruments, in particular electronic and electronic optical measuring apparatus; precision measuring apparatus; distance measuring apparatus, in particular integrated path sensors for mechanical positioning systems; interferometric sensors; microscopes, precision microscopes, in particular for use at low temperatures; magnetic force microscopes; atomic force microscopes; laser scanning microscopes; scanning electron microscopes (SEM); scanning near field microscopes; detection modules for microscopes and spectrometers; illuminations for microscopes and spectrometers; spectrometers; observation instruments; optical apparatus and instruments, in particular optical sensors; surface measuring apparatus being optoelectronic and operating without contact; cryostats for laboratory use; data processing apparatus; peripheral units adapted for use with computers; computers and computer software, in particular for operating adjusting and positioning systems.