Optical lace gives robots a light touch

Optical tweezers: a light touch.

Optical tweezers use focused laser light to manipulate microscopic particles. We discuss the underlying physics of the technique in terms of a gradient force exerted by the light on the particles. The versatility of optical tweezers is highlighted, in particular, we explain how spatial light modulators and various imaging methods have greatly enhanced their range of applications.

Robots with a sense of touch.

The development of the sense of touch in robotics is an engineering challenge. The so-called 8 “electronic skin”, which covers different parts of a robot with sensors responding to mechanical 9 and other environmental stimuli, requires system-level development that spans from materials 10 and electronics up to communication and processing. Robots equipped with tactile sensing may 11 have many d...

Light gives molecules the chills.

Structure with a light touch

Structure with a light touch ike a blind man tapping around a neighborhood, colleagues have used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to picture the organization of a photosynthetic membrane. The arrangement explains how light energy is channeled from antenna-like collectors to an energy-transforming reaction center (RC) complex. When the structure of the RC was solved in 1985 it was the first X-ray s...

Active Interpersonal Touch Gives Rise to the Social Softness Illusion

Social touch plays a powerful role in human life, with important physical and mental health benefits in development and adulthood. Touch is central in building the foundations of social interaction, attachment, and cognition, and early, social touch has unique, beneficial neurophysiological and epigenetic effects. The recent discovery of a separate neurophysiological system for affectively lade...