Patent ID: 8765459

Claim:
A system for automatic manipulation of a biological sample, comprising: (a) a stimulator operable to provide a stimulus to the biological sample to produce a response of the biological sample; (b) a sensor operable to measure the response of the biological sample; and (c) a controller operably connected to receive a signal from the sensor such that the controller is responsive to the signal received from the sensor to actuate the stimulator to which the controller is operably connected, and the stimulator, upon actuation, provides the stimulus to produce the response of the biological sample, thereby manipulating the biological sample, wherein the controller is operable to automatically adjust the stimulus given to the biological sample, and adjusting the stimulus is based at least in part on the response of the biological sample measured by the sensor, wherein the controller is operable to automatically adjust the stimulus using a non-linear optimization search technique, and wherein the controller is operable to automatically adjust the stimulus according to a global figure of merit characterizing a performance of the biological sample.