# Building a vertical magnetic tweezers design difficulty **URL:** \ **Category:** Hardware\ **Created:** [July 6, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://forum.microlist.org/t/building-a-vertical-magnetic-tweezers-design-difficulty/2207 "2023-07-06T16:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![riley\_Mcdonald](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.microlist.org/riley_mcdonald/32/1239_2.png) [@riley\_Mcdonald](https://forum.microlist.org/u/riley_Mcdonald)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://forum.microlist.org/t/building-a-vertical-magnetic-tweezers-design-difficulty/2207/1 "2023-07-06T16:06:23Z")
Hello! My name is Riley and I am a physics REU intern at the Catholic University of America. I work in a biophysics lab currently running experiments on DNA strands using magnetic tweezers. We are currently using a horizontal magnetic tweezer setup, and wish to design a vertical magnetic tweezer setup which we will be able to use in the lab. My summer project is to design this vertical setup, including a parts list of everything which will need to be purchased and explanations for why each part is needed in the experiment. I have made a rough draft of the list of parts I will need below. I am writing this to ask for any guidance anyone might have on a few items on this list. I understand that we will need to utilize a high fps camera- preferably CMOS, and a bright light source, however I am unsure of how to tell if these two items will work together in my experiment. A.K.A. I am unsure of what equations to use to determine if the light source emits enough photos for the camera rate. As well as this, I am unsure of how to tell which cameras will be able to connect to a GPU and CPU tracking system. I am also unsure of how to tell if the field of view of the camera paired with the magnification of the objective lens, and any other lens added to the system- will work in the system. I also do not understand how the pixel resolution factors into any of this. I also do not know how to attach the motors for the magnets to the magnet holder so that they will move it. I do not know how to find parts which will connect to the microscope body either. I’m also wondering how to find a micromanipulator which will hold a Tygon tube and insert it into the flow cell from above. All in all, I am widely inexperienced in making an apparatus like this and any guidance would be helpful. Thank you. Components: - A high frame rate (over 500fps) cmos camera, which can be connected to a GPU and CPU tracking system - A light source, either LED or SLD which will emit enough photons to be captured at the high frame rate - A microscope body to mount the components on (most likely over 450mm) - Breadboard appartuses for holding the flow cell, and possibly holding the light source - micromanipulator translation and rotary motors for movement of the magnets - An objective lens with a high magnification (40x or above) and high NA (over 0.8) - Linear translation for objective lens - Micromanipulator motor for the insertion of a tube into the flow cell - Optics equipment including but not limited to a condenser or collimator lens between the flow cell and the light source, and a tube lens or mirror between the camera and the objective Not from thor labs: - GPU tracking system - Magnet holder (custom designed) ---
**Author:** ![Pratibha\_Agarwala\_P2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.microlist.org/pratibha_agarwala_p2/32/1344_2.png) [@Pratibha\_Agarwala\_P2](https://forum.microlist.org/u/Pratibha_Agarwala_P2)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://forum.microlist.org/t/building-a-vertical-magnetic-tweezers-design-difficulty/2207/2 "2024-01-11T16:39:37Z")
Hi Riley, we are also planning to build the same setup if you have the list, can you please share it? Thanks a lot