Solar thermal devices are formed from a block of wood, where the natural cell lumens of the wood form an interconnected network that transports fluid or material therein. The block of wood can be modified to increase absorption of solar radiation. Combining the solar absorption effects with the natural transport network can be used for various applications. In some embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to evaporate a fluid, for example, evaporating water for extraction, distillation, or desalination. In other embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to change transport properties of a material to allow it to be transported in the interconnected network, for example, heating crude oil to adsorb the oil within the block of wood.

A low-force, non-displacement, micro/miniature valve and/or pump assembly is provided. A tube component having a first side port coupled to an inlet portion and a second side port coupled to an outlet portion can be selectively moved to alternatively couple the side ports to a first or second piston pump chamber. First and second pistons can be actuated after positioning the tube component to either draw in fluid or push out fluid from either the first or second piston pump chambers during each actuation of the pistons. The fluid can be drawn in from a reservoir and can be expelled to a patient for providing a dose of the fluid to the patient.

The invention relates to a valve, in particular for a device for administering a liquid medicament, with a valve body (1) which has an interior (2) for receiving a liquid (20), wherein the valve body (1) has a liquid inlet (3) and an opposite liquid outlet (4) which both open into the interior (2), wherein the interior (2) accommodates a large number of micro channels (5) which extend in connection direction (x) between the liquid inlet (3) and the liquid outlet (4). A corresponding device for administering a liquid medicament is also described.

A fluidic handling unit includes a baseplate, a fluidic inlet block, a fluidic outlet block, a pump in fluidic communication with the fluidic inlet block and the fluidic outlet block, a carrier control board in electrical communication with the pump, and a flow cell carrier comprising a microfluidic flow cell receiving area, wherein the flow cell carrier is configured to receive and retain the fluidic handling unit. A bottom surface of the fluidic handling unit is configured to complementary mate with a top surface of the flow cell carrier, or wherein a bottom surface of the flow cell carrier is configured to complementarily mate with a top surface of the fluidic handling unit.

Systems and methods for processing biological specimens are provided. The biological specimen processing system generally includes a flow cell carrier for holding a microfluidic flow cell and a fluidic handling unit attachable to the flow cell carrier. The fluidic handling unit interfaces with the microfluidic flow cell and can include fluidic pumps, fluidic connections, integrated electronics, and processing software to facilitate processing of a biological specimen contained in the microfluidic flow cell.

Examples include microfluidic devices. Example microfluidic devices include a first microfluidic channel, a second microfluidic channel, and a third microfluidic channel fluidly coupled to the first microfluidic channel and the second microfluidic channel via a fluid junction. A fluid actuator is disposed in the third microfluidic channel to actuate to thereby pump a first fluid and a second fluid into the third microfluidic channel.

Examples include microfluidic devices. Example microfluidic devices include a first microfluidic channel, a second microfluidic channel, and a third microfluidic channel fluidly coupled to the first microfluidic channel and the second microfluidic channel via a fluid junction. A fluid actuator is disposed in the third microfluidic channel to actuate to thereby pump a first fluid and a second fluid into the third microfluidic channel.

A transport device (400) comprises a housing (410), an actuator (430), a drive (450) and a sealing element (470). The housing has a fluid inlet (411, 413) and a fluid outlet (413, 411). The actuator (430) comprises a magnetic shape-memory alloy, and the actuator (430) is arranged at least in sections in the housing (410). The actuator (430) can be deformed by the drive (450) in such a way that two cavities (635, 635′) for the fluid are formed in the actuator (430), which cavities can be moved by the drive (450) in order to transport the fluid in the cavities (635, 635′) from the fluid inlet (411, 113) to the fluid outlet (413, 411). The sealing element (470) has at least one recess (471, . . . ), and the sealing element (470) is arranged in the housing (410) in such a way that the cavities (635, 635′) are at least temporally in fluid communication via the recess (471, . . . ) during the transport of the fluid from the fluid inlet (411, 413) to the fluid outlet (413, 411).

A cartridge assembly comprises a housing having an illumination chamber and a well plate. The well plate is maintained within the housing and has liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids. The well plate includes a fluidics analysis station aligned with the illumination chamber, and an interface window and interface ports located at the fluidics analysis station. The well plate includes a valve station and pump station. A piercer unit is provided in the housing and positioned proximate to the wells. The piercer unit includes a piercer element and is to be moved to a piercing position where the piercer element pierces a cover for the corresponding well. A pump assembly on the well plate at the pump station manages fluid flow through the channels between the pump station and the fluidics analysis station. The housing includes a flow cell chamber to receive a removable flow cell cartridge.

A micro-delivery device includes a substrate having an upper surface; a shell disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and defining a chamber between the shell and the substrate; a planar electrode disposed on the upper surface of the substrate; a separator disposed in the chamber and dividing the chamber into an upper reservoir and a lower reservoir; and a cannula inserted in an opening of the rigid shell and in fluid communication with the upper reservoir.