Method and apparatus for spatially manipulating at least one particle in a fluid, computer program product and computer-readable storage medium

Apparatus for spatially manipulating at least one particle in a fluid by means of hydrodynamic flows, the apparatus comprising:

• a receptacle for receiving the fluid and the particle(s) to be manipulated,
• a heating device for generating hydrodynamic flows within the fluid by dynamic localized heating of the fluid, the dynamic localized heating being designed to bring about a spatial manipulation of the particles within the receptacle by hydrodynamic flows,
• an imaging device for imaging at least parts of the receptacle,
• a control unit for controlling the heating device and the imaging device and for evaluating image data from the imaging device,
• wherein
• the control unit is designed for:
• A) activating the imaging device to capture an actual spatial configuration of the particle(s) within the receptacle,
• B) determining control signals for the heating device suitable for a specific dynamic localized heating event to be applied to the fluid in dependence of at least one recent spatial configuration of the particle(s) and a previously defined target configuration of the particle(s),
• C) activating the heating device to apply the specific dynamic localized heating event as determined in step B) at least once to the fluid and
• D) repeating at least one or all of the steps A) to C).

A computer program product comprising instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium which,

• when the program is executed by the control unit, causes the control unit to carry out a method with the steps of
• A) activating the imaging device to capture an actual spatial configuration of the particles within the receptacle,
• B) determining control signals for the heating device suitable for a specific dynamic localized heating event to be applied to the fluid in dependence of at least one recent spatial configuration of the particle(s) and a previously defined target(s) configuration of the particle(s),
• C) activating the heating device to apply the specific dynamic localized heating event as determined in step B) at least once to the fluid and
• D) repeating at least one or all of the steps A) to C).

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by the control unit, cause the control unit to carry out a method with the steps of

• A) activating the imaging device to capture an actual spatial configuration of the particles within the receptacle,
• B) determining control signals for the heating device suitable for a specific dynamic localized heating event to be applied to the fluid in dependence of at least one recent spatial configuration of the particles and a previously defined target configuration of the particles,
• C) activating the heating device to apply the specific dynamic localized heating event as determined in step B) at least once to the fluid and
• D) repeating at least one or all of the steps A) to C).