Hello! I lead a research program for high school researchers. We have been developing a cost-effective optical tweezers setup to increase access to research. Below is an update from my students on the work they have accomplished.
"We are a group of students part of YREP (Young REsearcher’s Program) at Ransom Everglades High School, based in Miami, Florida. Our goal is to construct a cost-effective optical tweezer that can be efficiently reproduced for scientific communities, especially those with tighter budgets. Optical tweezing, the manipulation of nanoparticles by a focused laser beam, has advanced research in fields such as microbiology, biochemical physics, and quantum computing. Our device is comprised of OpenFlexure’s Microscope, Thorlabs optical components, an Amscope camera and a HeNe Laser Module, as shown in the picture below. This year, we have successfully constructed a tweezer that has trapped and manipulated a polystyrene microsphere. Our setup is under $5,000, significantly lower than the price of typical optical tweezers, which can cost up to $20,000. We have been fortunate to present the progress and successes of this initiative at the APS Global Physics Summit three years in a row, and are continuing to refine our device, hoping to share a standard assembly in the near future. Let us know of your thoughts! " - The Cost-Effective Optical Tweezing Team.
You can find more about this program, as well as the posters and talks that have been presented on this work, here: YREP - 2026
