This week in JoVE, scientists utilize new technologies to achieve their goals.
Manipulating Particles… With Light?
Over the last decade, we’ve already seen technology get smaller and faster at an astonishing rate. The only way for this trend to continue is to use smaller and smaller materials, and in order to do that we must develop new technologies to manipulate molecular components efficiently. Scientists from the University of Victoria have developed a technique that uses light to manipulate particles at the nanometer scale. Keep in mind that a nanometer is one billionth of a meter in size, and is indiscernible by the human eye. Using the forces produced by light, these “optical tweezers” are used to manipulate anything from conductive wire to naturally occurring proteins, and have significant implications for both biological and manufacturing applications.
Retraining the Body to Move
After severe injuries or surgeries, the patients often have to “re-learn” how to do basic functions. For example, after a patient undergoes a hip or knee replacement, it takes long-term rehabilitation for that patient to regain normal motion and function. Often these rehabilitative treatments utilize a trained physical therapist to provide verbal feedback and a mirror to provide visual feedback. Physical therapists at the University of British Columbia utilize motion tracking technology and mathematical models to analyze a patient’s movement and then provide real-time feedback for correction. Prolonged use of this technology, when used properly, can help patients heal and re-learn movements.