1. Microfluidics

In our experiment, we want to research neuron activity and behavioral response to Caenorhabditis elegans under a specific wavelength of light. Thus, we need to choose a clear, efficient and convenient platform to study not only a group of worms but also an individual one.

Microfluidics has a very tiny scale, which is best matched with the size of C. elegans. There is no damaging for worms in Microfluidics. We design three parts of microfluidic chips the Selection Chip to choose appropriate sizes of worms, the Gaussian Plate to prove its olfactory receptor neuron pairs are not affected, and the Immobilization Plate to research the individual behavior and neuron activity. (Fig.1)

Fig. 1 The three chips in our experiment. A) The design of the Selection Chip and the Gaussian Chip. B) The product of the Selection Chip and the Gaussian Chip. C) The design of the Immobilization Chip. D) The product of the Immobilization Chip.

Detail in here

2. Play with light in spatio-temporal

Multiple devices of optics are designed and created for the various requirement of experiments. All devices are attempt to modulate the spatio-temporal pattern in a elegant and effective way. Just let us start to play with light.

AMML Demo

2.1 Device One: Arduino Modulate Mercury Lamp--AMML

A simple and effective device to output pulse of certain wavelength of light. On time and off time of pulse is custom by Arduino. Wavelength of light is changed by replacing filter before beam expander.

Overview of Arduino modulate Mercury lamp(A) Arduino transfer the pulse command to servo. (B)The interview of Mercury Lamp.The servo fix at the original bottom. (C) The beam expander connect to stereoscope

2.2 Device Two: Projector Tracker

Here is a more fantastic and powerful tool with a LCD Projector we design.

2.2.1 Basic mechanical and optics

We need 395nm light to activate Calcium indicator protein GEM-GECO by Lumencor LED Illuminator. Then CoChR and Chrimson are activated by blue light and red light from LCD projector. LCD projector and LED Illuminator are merged by a double LH Adapter contained a semi-transparent mirror. Double LH Adapter connect to entrance of light in microscope. So we can use these two light source in the same time.

Apparatus to merge projector and microscope.

We project a movie on the hand.

Protein are sensitive to the wavelength of light, it necessary to purify light of the projector. We buy and replace with new filter Chroma ET480/20X and Chroma ET630/20X, both are fixed inside projector. Di-mirror 89402bs and emission filter 89402m are been installed in Microscope filter wheel.

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2.2.2 Control Software

We project a movie on the hand.

Software is most flexible part. A very easy knack is to use slide(Demo Slide), such as LibreOffice(Test on 5.4.2.2.0+ in Arch Linux) or Microsoft Office. The image and time pattern is stetted in slide, including color, intensity, pulse time etc.

We try develop a more challenged and hackable open source software suit called ColorMapping to track and activate multi C. eleganss or cell independently in one eye-filed. User can modify multi color, intensity, time, locations of light alternately in GUI. ColorMapping can be found in GitHub, which still is developing.　ColorMapping contains camera part, projector part, user&calculation part. More detain can be found in GitHub Document and PDF[].