Mind-Controlled Optical Manipulation

Abstract

Brain−computer interface (BCI) has been developed for decades to directly establish communication between human brain and external devices. Current BCI has been widely exploited in the emerging macroscopical field such as mindcontrolled mechanical devices and robots; it is an open challenge to manipulate microscopic devices or nanoparticles through mind control. Here, we demonstrate a synthetic mind-controlled optical manipulation (MCOM) platform that integrates BCI with a spatial light modulator (SLM) to generate dynamic light fields (e.g., vortex beams). Through human mind instructions, the MCOM perceives the mind signal and translates the information into a series of optical holograms for complex particle manipulation. This work is the first implementation of the combination of the intelligence of the human brain with the manipulative power of optics, merging the two noncontact techniques into a real noncontact optical manipulation in the microscopic and nanoscopic world, which may find applications in soft-matter physics, biomedical engineering, and nanotechnology.

Robotic Nanomanipulation Based on Spatiotemporal Modulation of Optical Gradients

“…The development and integration of robotic manipulation inside a real-time imaging and characterization platform facilitate a wide range of applications in nanophotonics, nanoelectronics, and biomedicine. − Among various manipulation techniques, − optical tweezers have attracted considerable attentions for their capacity of controlling the position and orientation of single free-standing nanostructures − (e.g., nanorod and nanowire) and selective deposition (i.e., direct laser printing) of these nanostructures in targeted positions with high precision. − Equipped with a feedback-controlled interface, optical tweezers can be turned into a versatile robotic manipulation platform, which is highly desirable for the development of optical manipulation combined with microscopy/spectroscopy. ,, Specifically, unlike automated manipulation, which demands sophisticated algorithms for planning, decision-making, and fault-tolerance handling, human-in-the-loop control proves to be equally compelling, particularly in scenarios that necessitate substantial human involvement; for example, optical manipulation of functional NPs for active drug delivery and nanosurgery in complex fluidic environments, e.g., blood vessels and neural network. Customizable route planning through a human–machine interface (HMI) is more feasible. − …”