Method and device for the automatic recording of the movement of nematodes or small organisms of similar size by the temporal interferometry of light microbeams

A method for the automatic recording of the locomotion of nematodes or small organisms of similar sizes by temporal interferometry of light microbeams, comprising the following stages:

• providing a plurality of small organisms that must be registered in a container comprising at least one receptacle where at least one organism is placed;
• irradiating the container with a plurality of microbeams of light parallel and adjacent to each other, separated by a distance of up to 4 mm, with the appropriate characteristics to produce a measurable interference with the body of the organism without altering the behavior or physiology of the organism, where the microbeams are generated by light previously filtered through a grid of microholes that precedes the container;
• detecting the intensity or power of the microbeams crossing the container;
• determining if there is fluctuation or attenuation in the intensity or power of the measured microbeams caused by the interference organism body when one of the microbeams passes through it, according to a detection threshold;
• and
• recording the locomotor activity, including the shape and spatial location of the movement of the organism located within the container, based on the determination of fluctuations of the determined parameters of the microbeams.

A device for measuring the locomotor activity of nematodes or small organisms of similar sizes, comprising:

• a container with at least one receptacle suitable for cultivating said organisms;
• a plurality of means generating infrared microbeams;
• a plate grid of microholes of at least 1 mm thick, where the microholes have a diameter of between 50 and 150 μm separated by a distance of up to 5 mm from each other;
• at least one infrared microbeam receiving means;
• receiver circuit means for detecting variations in the output signal;
• and
• a register linked to the output of the receiver circuit means to record the locomotor activity, shape and position of the body's movement on the basis of the variations detected in the intensity or power of the microbeams.