A microfluidic chip orients and isolates components in a sample fluid mixture by two step focusing, where sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a sample input channel in one direction, such that the sample fluid mixture becomes a narrower stream bounded by the sheath fluids, and by having the sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a second direction further downstream, such that the components are compressed and oriented in a selected direction to pass through an interrogation chamber in single file formation for identification and separation by various methods. The isolation mechanism utilizes external, stacked piezoelectric actuator assemblies disposed on a microfluidic chip holder, or piezoelectric actuator assemblies on-chip, so that the actuator assemblies are triggered by an electronic signal to actuate jet chambers on either side of the sample input channel, to jet selected components in the sample input channel into one of the output channels.

The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic device for measuring one or more parameters in a fluid sample, which includes a sample microfluidic channel disposed on a solid substrate, a reagent microfluidic channel disposed on a solid substrate, a mixing microfluidic channel disposed on a solid substrate, and an optical reading window located downstream of the mixing microfluidic channel, through which a response indicative of the parameter(s) change can be measured optically. The present disclosure also relates to an apparatus for measuring one or more parameters in a fluid sample which includes the microfluidic device as well as a method for measuring one or more parameters in a fluid sample through the device or the apparatus.

A case for an electronic cigarette vaporiser, the case including an automatic lifting mechanism that lifts the vaporiser up a few mm from the case to enable a user to easily grasp the vaporiser and withdraw it from the case. The lifting mechanism can be spring-based. The case both re-fills the vaporiser with liquid and also re-charges a battery in the vaporiser.

A microfluidic chip orients and isolates components in a sample fluid mixture by two step focusing, where sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a sample input channel in one direction, such that the sample fluid mixture becomes a narrower stream bounded by the sheath fluids, and by having the sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a second direction further downstream, such that the components are compressed and oriented in a selected direction to pass through an interrogation chamber in single file formation for identification and separation by various methods. The isolation mechanism utilizes external, stacked piezoelectric actuator assemblies disposed on a microfluidic chip holder, or piezoelectric actuator assemblies on-chip, so that the actuator assemblies are triggered by an electronic signal to actuate jet chambers on either side of the sample input channel, to jet selected components in the sample input channel into one of the output channels.

The present disclosure is drawn to microfluidic cellular membrane modification devices. In one example, a microfluidic cellular membrane modification device can include a microfluidic channel including a pumping portion and an electric field portion. An electrode pair can be positioned about the electric field portion. A bidirectional pump can be in fluid communication with the microfluidic channel at the pumping portion to move fluid backward and forward through the electric field portion.

An aerosol-generating system may include a liquid storage portion configured to hold liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a vaporizer including a heating element with an internal passage at least partially defined by a surface of the heating element, and a micro pump configured to deliver liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion to the internal passage of the heating element, such that the vaporizer is configured to heat the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate at the internal passage to a temperature sufficient to volatilize at least a part of the delivered liquid aerosol-forming substrate. The micro pump may be configured to deliver a particular amount of liquid aerosol-forming substrate to the internal passage based on the micro pump performing an individual pump cycle.

Microfluidic pumps are provided that use electrowetting to manipulate the location of one or more droplets of a working fluid (e.g., water) in order to pump tears, blood, laboratory samples, carrier fluid, or some other payload fluid. The working fluid is separated from the payload fluid by one or more droplets of an isolating fluid that is immiscible with the working fluid. The working fluid is manipulated via electrowetting, by applying voltages to two or more electrodes, to repeatedly move back and forth. Forces, pressures, and/or fluid flows exerted by the working fluid are coupled to the payload fluid via the droplet(s) of isolation fluid and reed valves, diffuser nozzles, or other varieties of valve can act as flow-rectifying elements to convert the coupled forces into a net flow of the payload fluid through the pump.

Disclosed herein are rolled-membrane microfluidic diffusion devices and corresponding methods of manufacture. Also disclosed herein are three-dimensionally printed microfluidic devices and corresponding methods of manufacture. Optionally, the disclosed microfluidic devices can function as artificial lung devices.

A fluid-drive device includes a base, a fluid container, a pressing mechanism, and a rotation mechanism. The fluid container is disposed on the base. The pressing mechanism is disposed on the base, and configured to press the fluid container. The rotation mechanism is connected to the pressing mechanism. The pressing mechanism presses the fluid container by rotating the rotation mechanism. The fluid-drive device may guide the flow of the detection fluid in the fluid container in a non-contact manner to reduce the contamination of the fluid specimen and increase the reliability of the detection.

An electro-osmosis pump system includes an inlet line through which a fluid is introduced, an outlet line through which the fluid is discharged, a first pump disposed between the inlet line and the outlet line and including a first housing in which a first operation fluid is disposed, a second pump disposed in parallel to the first pump between the inlet line and the outlet line and including a second housing in which a second operation fluid disposed, and a power supply configured to supply voltages to the first pump and the second pump. The first pump includes a first membrane, a 1A-th electrode, and a 2A-th electrode, the second pump includes a second membrane, a 1B-th electrode, and a 2B-th electrode, and the power supply supplies the voltage to the 1A-th electrode and the 2A-th electrode, and supplies the voltage to the 1B-th electrode and the 2B-th electrode.