"RoboLase": A robotic laser scissors and laser tweezers microscope

Abstract

We have built a robotic laser scissors and laser tweezers microscope ("RoboLase") that can be operated via the Internet. The system can be used to image, ablate, and/or trap cells and their organelles by remote-control. In the ablation mode, RoboLase is being used to perform delicate microsurgery on mitotic organelles (individual microtubules, spindle fibers, and centrioles). In the trapping mode, the system is being used as a real-time automatic tracking and trapping system (RATTS) of fast moving cells. RATTS performs all tracking and trapping functions without human intervention and has been used remotely between Australia and the US.