  We propose a method for the emulation of artificial spin orbit coupling in a
system of ultracold, neutral atoms trapped in a tight-binding lattice. This
scheme does not involve near-resonant laser fields, avoiding the heating
processes connected to the spontaneous emission of photons. In our case, the
necessary spin dependent tunnel matrix elements are generated by a rapid, spin
dependent, periodic force, which can be described in the framework of an
effective, time averaged Hamiltonian. An additional radio frequency coupling
between the spin states leads to a mixing of the spin bands.
