Optical alignment deformation spectroscopy

A method, comprising:

• flowing a first object in a first microfluidic channel;
• flowing a second object in a second microfludic channel;
• trapping at least one of the first and second object with an optical trap so as to align the first object with the second object and further cause the first object to impact the second object at an intersection of the first and second microfluidic channels, wherein at least one of the first and second objects deform upon impact under hydrodynamic forces exerted by fluids flowing through the first and second microfluidic channels.

An image-processing system, comprising:

• an image-capture device configured to capture a series of images of a first object impacting a second object at a stagnation point in a microfluidic system;
• instructions stored in a computer-readable memory that enable a processor to analyze the series of images of the first object and second object to determine a deformation of at least one of the first object and second object when the first object impacts the second object at the stagnation point.