➀ Researchers from MIT have developed a miniature optical device that captures and manipulates biological cells using focused light. The device, resembling 'Star Wars' technology, could provide biologists and clinicians with a compact tool for studying DNA, classifying cells, and exploring disease mechanisms.➁ The device uses silicon-photonics technology to emit light beams from a chip, enabling particle manipulation at distances up to millimeters from the chip surface.➂ The innovation is designed to benefit researchers in biophysics and cellular biology, potentially enabling more effective investigation of complex biological interactions.