The SMR uses the principle that the resonating frequency of an oscillating cantilever (visualize a diving board in motion) is proportional to its mass. The SMR is made up of a cantilever containing a tiny fluidics channel surrounded by a vacuum. When a single cell flows through the channel inside the cantilever, the resonant frequency of the cantilever changes in proportion to the mass of the cell.
1. Sample preparation. 2. The sample solution flows through the microchannel in the resonant cantilever, and mechanical resonance occurs to obtain data. 3. Analyse the data.
1. The SMR is a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device that can weigh individual cells to a precision better than one part in 1,000. 2. Using a suspended microchannel resonator, researchers can measure the relative positions of tiny particles as they flow through a fluidic channel.