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.

The microfluidic devices and systems disclosed herein reduce sample loss and help decrease sample processing bottlenecks for applications such as next generation sequencing (NGS). The microfluidic devices include a plurality of reaction modules. Each reaction module may comprise one or more reaction circuits. Each reaction circuit may comprise a single reaction flow channel with each reaction circuit connected by a bridge flow channel. Alternatively, each reaction circuit may comprise two or more reaction flow channels connected by two or more bridge flow channels. The combination of any two bridge flow channels and a portion of the two or more reaction flow channels between the any two bridge flow channels defining may define the reaction circuit. The reaction module may be arranged as nodes connected by bridge flow channels or each reaction module may be arranged in a parallel fashion on the microfluidic device.

Provided is a novel electroosmotic pump capable of being driven by AC voltage. An electroosmotic pump (2) includes a porous dielectric membrane (21), a first water-permeable electrode (22), and a second water-permeable electrode (23). The first water-permeable electrode (22) is disposed on one side of the porous dielectric membrane (21). The second water-permeable electrode (23) is disposed on the other side of the porous dielectric membrane (21). A principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane (21) close to the first water-permeable electrode (22) and a principal surface thereof close to the second water-permeable electrode (23) have mutually different hydrophilicities.

Disclosed is a device for the directed capillary transport of liquids, comprising at least two capillaries (8, 9, 33, 54, 55), the at least two capillaries (8, 9, 33, 54, 55) being designed such that the liquid can be transported in at least some regions in a passive, directed and capillary manner, characterised in that at least two of the capillaries (8, 9, 33, 54, 55) are interconnected in the direction of transport of the liquid via at least one capillary passage conduit (20, 23, 28, 29, 34, 40, 41, 59, 63). The invention is intended for use in the separation of components from a fluidic substance and/or in oil/water separation. A production method is characterised in that at least one part of the capillary structure is generated by means of laser irradiation, by means of a moulding tool, in particular a sintering mould, by means of a milling process, in particular by means of a micro-milling process, or by means of EDM.

A fluid ejection device may include a first channel having a first end and a second end, a first drop ejector along the first channel, a second channel having a first end and a second end, a second drop ejector along the second channel, a third channel extending between and connecting the first end of the first channel and the first end of the second channel, a fourth channel extending between and connecting the second end of the firs channel and the second end of the second channel and a fifth channel extending between and connecting the third channel and the fourth channel.

An electro-osmotic pump according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a membrane that allows fluid movement; and a first electrode and a second electrode respectively provided on both sides of the membrane. The first electrode and the second electrode are formed of an impermeable substrate material and an electrode material coated thereon and have at least one fluid pathway. The impermeable substrate material is a plate-shaped substrate including at least one of a conducting material, a semiconducing material and a non-conducting material.

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.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control-engaged electrode-driving method for droplet actuation is provided. The method includes, a first voltage is provided to a first electrode for licking off a droplet. A second voltage is naturally discharged to a third voltage for maintaining a droplet movement. A fourth voltage is provided to the first electrode for accelerating the droplet. Naturally discharging from the second voltage to the third voltage and providing the fourth voltage to the first electrode are repeated. The first voltage is provided to a second electrode when a centroid of the droplet reaching a centroid of the first electrode. Naturally discharging from the second voltage to the third voltage and providing the fourth voltage to the second electrode are repeated.

A fluid pumping system may include an electroosmotic pump; and a separation member provided at least one end of the electroosmotic pump, and configured to separate the fluid and a transfer target fluid. The electroosmotic pump may include: a membrane that allows a fluid to move therethrough; and a first electrode and a second electrode which are respectively provided at two opposite sides of the membrane, and each of which is formed of a porous material or has a porous structure to allow a fluid to move therethrough; each of the first electrode and the second electrode may be made of porous carbon only; and an electrochemical reaction of the first electrode and the second electrode may take place as a cation is moved in a direction whereby a charge balance is established.

This disclosure provides devices and methods for the isolation of single cells or particles of interest from a solution comprising a plurality of cells or a solution composed of a homogenous population of particles. Specifically, the present disclosure is directed to microfluidic devices and methods for analyzing cells in a sample. More specifically, the present disclosure provides droplet microfluidic devices and methods for using the same to obtain (trap), encapsulate, and retrieve (isolate) single cells or particles from a sample with improved efficiency.