Evaluations of gel deformation and application of cell manipulation under constraints

Previously, we proposed the light drive method of on-chip gel actuators made of PNIPAAm. To use PNIPAAm as an actuator, we need to constrain the degrees of freedom (DOF) of three-dimensional displacement of it. In this study, we add side and top constraints to PNIPAAm and analyze the deformation characteristics under the constraints. We evaluated volume change ratio and deformation rate as the deformation characteristics. Volume change ratio does not depend on the situation of constraints. Furthermore, large deformation of PNIPAAm in the driving direction can be obtained by side and top constraints. From these results, we show possibilities of control of gel deformation by adding the various constraints.