Schematic

Schematic shows the invention: A thin film containing bacteria spans two adjustable platinum wires and two dielectric fibers and is stretched by a control screw. Electric current is transmitted between the platinum wires and a small platinum ring lowered onto the film. This new device, which induces bacteria to swim in this manner, could have enormous applications in biotechnology and biomedical engineering, including use in miniaturized medical diagnostic kits and bioanalysis. The device was invented by collaboration of researchers from Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois Institute of technology, University of Arizona at Tucson and Cambridge University , U.K.

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