Micro-robotics represents a synthesis of physics, robotics and image analysis. Our research and experimental work is oriented to their application in biophysics. We exploit two-photon polymerization apparatus to fabricate micro-machines parts and holographic optical tweezers to manipulate with them.
Bending of a flexible cantilever structure by optical tweezers.
After switching the trapping laser off, the cantilevers moved back to the initial equilibrium in an
overdamped oscillatory regime.
The video analysis of the recovery motion was used to determine the cantilever’s visco-elastic
characteristics (see Kubackova 2020).
For viscosity measurement, the deflection angle only about 10 degrees is used.
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Holographic Optical Tweezers (HOT) creates several independently movable laser traps that are able to
move transparent particles. Using a special interface, the position of traps can be controlled by
fingers.
Direct manipulation could damage live cells and therefore their indirect manipulation through a proper
tool is preferred.
One such tool is fork-like microstructure prepared by two photon polymerization (2PP).
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Path planning is a strategy how to move a particle to the destination without the collision with an
obstacles. This strategy is important for any autonomous robot.
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This section contains programs for image analysis and cells counting in 2D and 3D. All programs are free for download. Their input is either single image (NeuroCounter) two sections (DisectCounter) or a series of optical sections obtained from a confocal microscope (ConfoCounter).
Estimation of the total number of objects in 3D volume by "Disector" method.
Method counts objects terminating between two (properly sampled and aligned) 2D sections.
Counting is performed on selected Stereological counting frames used for the
total count estimation.
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Image analysis program for semi=interactive particles detection and quantification.
Program detects particles and calculates corresponding features (like area,
diameter, circularity) inside the stereological counting frames.
The estimated values valid for the whole image are calculated and saved in a text format readable
by Excel.
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Estimates the number of cells inside the volume of interest using 3D stereological probe.
Extended version supplied with eye tracker helps to find the last cell's section in Z-stack by gaze
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(Click HERE to show full
list and PDFs from ResearchGate)