NANOSCALE MOTION DETECTOR
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 ).
1 . Motion detector comprising a flexible support adapted to hold at least one object, a sensor for measuring the displacement of said support and processing means for differentiating the fluctuations of said support from those induced by said object.
2 . Motion detector according to claim 1 wherein said processing means are adapted to calculate the variance of said displacement.
3 . Motion detector according to claim 1 , wherein said support comprises a cantilever.
4 . Motion detector according to claim 3 wherein said sensor is fixed to or forming a part of said cantilever.
5 . Motion detector according to claim 4 wherein sensor comprises a piezoelectric material.
6 . Motion detector according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is an optical sensor.
7 . Method according to claim 6 wherein said optical sensor is Photodetector.
8 . Motion detector according to claim 1 furthermore comprising an analysis chamber.
9 . Motion detector according to claim 8 wherein said analyzing chamber comprises inlet and outlet means adapted in a way as to provide different fluidic environments to the object(s) within said chamber.
10 . Use of a motion detector as defined in claim 1 for analysing at least one object which is located on said support.
11 . Use according to claim 10 wherein said object is a biological object.
12 . Use according to claim 11 wherein said living object is a bacteria.
13 . Use according to claim 10 for quantitative estimation of MIC and/or MBC.
14 . Method for analysing at least one object held on a flexible support; said method comprising a step for measuring the displacement of said support and a processing step for differentiating the fluctuations of said support from those induced by the said object.
15 . Method according to claim 14 for detecting the movement or dynamics of at least one object.
16 . Method according to claim 14 wherein said processing step comprises calculating the variance of said displacement.
17 . Method according to claim 14 comprising a preliminary treatment applied to the objects for facilitating the adherence of said objects to said support.