Nanoscale motion detector

Abstract

Motion detector comprising a flexible support ( 1,5 ) adapted to hold at least one object ( 6 - 9 ), a sensor ( 4 ) for measuring the displacement of said support ( 1 ) and processing means for differentiating the fluctuations of said support ( 1 ) from those induced by said object ( 6 - 9 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motion detector comprising:
 a flexible support adapted to hold at least one object, wherein the object induces a motion that causes a displacement of the support,   a sensor for measuring the displacement of said support, and   processing means adapted to calculate a variance of the displacement of the support in order to differentiate a motion of said support from the motion induced by said object.   
     
     
         2 . The motion detector according to  claim 1  wherein said processing means are adapted to calculate a statistical variance of said displacement. 
     
     
         3 . The motion detector according to  claim 1 , wherein said support comprises a cantilever. 
     
     
         4 . The motion detector according to  claim 3 , wherein said sensor is fixed to or forming a part of said cantilever. 
     
     
         5 . The motion detector according to  claim 4 , wherein the sensor comprises a piezoelectric material. 
     
     
         6 . The motion detector according to  claim 1 , wherein said sensor is an optical sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The motion detector according to  claim 6 , wherein said optical sensor is a photodetector. 
     
     
         8 . The motion detector according to  claim 1 , furthermore comprising an analysis chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The motion detector according to  claim 8 , wherein said analysis chamber comprises inlet and outlet means adapted in a way as to provide different fluidic environments to the object within said analysis chamber. 
     
     
         10 . A method for analyzing at least one object held on a flexible support, the object inducing a motion that causes a displacement of the support, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
 measuring the displacement of said support with a sensor, and   calculating a variance of the displacement of the support with processing means in order to differentiate a motion of said support from the motion induced by the object.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the movement or dynamics of the at least one object is detected. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein a statistical variance of said displacement of the support is calculated. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of applying a preliminary treatment to the object for facilitating an adherence of said object to said support. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein an increase of the variance of the displacement of the support evidences the motion induced by said object. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the displacement of the support is measured as a function of time. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the object is at least one of a biological object, a living object, enzymes, lipids, nucleic acids, glucides, nanodevices, proteins, DNA, viruses, bacteria, single cells or complex multicellular systems. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the object is interacting with a drug. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said flexible support comprises a cantilever. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said sensor is fixed to or forming a part of said cantilever. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said sensor is an optical sensor, or
 wherein the sensor comprises a piezoelectric material.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of providing different fluidic environments to the object within an analysis chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of quantitatively estimating at least one of a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration and a Minimum Bactericidal Concentration. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the motion of the object is intrinsic to the object. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the method of analyzing the object does not take a resonance frequency of the support into account.