# US 11,299,762 B2 · Nanoscale motion detector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,762 B2 - Document ID: US11299762B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/957,694 - Filed: 2018-04-19 - Published: 2018-11-01 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-14 - Assignees: Ecole Polytechnioue Federale De - Applicants: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) - Inventors: Sandor Kasas; Giovanni Longo; Giovanni Dietler; Livan Bladimir Alonso Sarduy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299762B2 ## CPC - C12Q 1/18: Testing for antimicrobial activity of a material - C12Q 1/02: involving viable microorganisms - C12Q 1/533: involving isomerase - G01N 29/022: {Fluid sensors based on microsensors, e.g. quartz crystal-microbalance [QCM], surface acoustic wave [SAW] devices, tuning forks, cantilevers, flexural plate wave [FPW] devices (microdevices per se B81B)} - G01N 29/036: by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves - G01N 29/2418: {using optoacoustic interaction with the material, e.g. laser radiation, photoacoustics (photoacoustic cells G01N21/1702; measuring characteristics of vibrations by using radiation-sensitive means G01H9/00; acousto-optical conversion techniques for short-range imaging G01S15/8965; sound-producing devices using laser bundle G10K15/046)} - G01N 29/46: by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis {or wavelet analysis (spectral signal processing per se G06F17/14)} - G01N 33/54366: {Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing} - B82Y 5/00: Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery - B82Y 35/00: Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures - G01N 2291/0427: Flexural waves, plate waves, e.g. Lamb waves, tuning fork, cantilever - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## 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). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for analyzing a biological object with a motion detector, the motion detector including a flexible support, a sensor for measuring fluctuations of the flexible support, and electronics for analyzing the fluctuations, the biological object consisting of bacteria or cells, in presence or absence of external or internal stimuli, the method comprising the steps of: bringing the biological object into contact with the flexible support, the biological object imparting a nanoscopic motion, measuring the fluctuations of the flexible support with the sensor while the biological object is in contact with the flexible support, the fluctuations being caused by the nanoscopic motion imparted by the biological object; analyzing the statistical variance of the measured fluctuations by the electronics; and determining a viability of the biological object based on the analysis of a statistical variance of the measured fluctuations. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing includes calculating a statistical variance of the fluctuations of the flexible support caused by the nanoscopic motion of the biological object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein in the step of analyzing, an increased statistical variance of the fluctuations indicates that the fluctuations are induced by the biological object held on the flexible support. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: treating the biological object for facilitating an adherence of the biological object to the flexible support. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the biological object includes a bacteria, and the nanoscopic motion includes a motion of the bacteria. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the biological object is an enzyme, and the nanoscopic motion includes an interaction of the enzyme with a drug. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the nanoscopic motion of the biological object is intrinsic to the biological object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of analyzing, a resonance frequency of the flexible support is not taken into account. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the biological object is at least one of an enzyme and a virus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluctuation is at least one of a vibration or a deflection. ### Claim 11 A method for analyzing a biological object with a motion detector, the motion detector including a flexible support, a sensor for measuring fluctuations of the flexible support, and electronics for analyzing the fluctuations, the biological object consisting of bacteria or cells, in a presence or absence of external or internal stimuli, the method comprising the steps of: bringing a biological object into contact with the flexible support, the biological object imparting a nanoscopic motion, measuring the fluctuations of the flexible support with the sensor while the biological object is in contact with the flexible support, the fluctuations caused by the nanoscopic motion imparted by the biological object; analyzing the measured fluctuations by the electronics; wherein the step of analyzing includes calculating a statistical variance of the fluctuations of the flexible support caused by the nanoscopic motion of the biological object in order to differentiate a motion of said flexible support from the motion induced by said object; and determining at least one of a presence and a modification of the nanoscopic motion of the biological object based on the analysis of the statistical variance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the fluctuation is at least one of a vibration or a deflection.