Particles such as blood cells can be categorized and counted by a digital image processor. A digital microscope camera can be directed into a flowcell defining a symmetrically narrowing flowpath in which the sample stream flows in a ribbon flattened by flow and viscosity parameters between layers of sheath fluid. A contrast pattern for autofocusing is provided on the flowcell, for example at an edge of a rear illumination opening. The image processor assesses focus accuracy from pixel data contrast. A positioning motor moves the microscope and/or flowcell along the optical axis for autofocusing on the contrast pattern target. The processor then displaces microscope and flowcell by a known distance between the contrast pattern and the sample stream, thus focusing on the sample stream. Blood cell images are collected from that position until autofocus is reinitiated, periodically, by input signal, or when detecting temperature changes or focus inaccuracy in the image data.

A method of inseminating an animal including flowing a stream of a population of sperm cells through a channel, differentiating the sperm cells into two subpopulations of X-chromosome containing sperm cells and Y-chromosome containing sperm cells, selecting a desired subpopulation, ablating an undesired subpopulation, and collecting both the subpopulations of sperm cells including the desired subpopulation and the ablated undesired subpopulation together, wherein the collected population of sperm cells is used to fertilize an egg.

Disclosed are devices and methods useful for confined-channel digital microfluidics that combine high-throughput droplet generators with digital microfluidic for droplet manipulation. The present disclosure also provides an off-chip sensing system for droplet tracking.

A method of sorting cells including magnetically coupling a nozzle assembly to a flow cytometer in a predetermined orientation to form a fluid stream having a sheath fluid and a sample fluid. Particles within the sample fluid are oriented and then interrogated at an inspection zone to produces signals representative of emitted or reflected electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation is analyzed to classify the cells and the cells are sorted according to their classification.

A fluid delivery method for delivering a liquid sample to a flow cell including a taper section including a first and a second inner walls opposing the first inner wall, which is inclined to the second inner wall so that a distance between the first and the second inner walls at a downstream side of the taper section is shorter than a distance at an upstream side of the taper section, and including measurement flow path provided downstream of the taper section, through which a liquid sample flows together with a sheath fluid. The fluid delivery method includes sample introduction of delivering the liquid sample into the taper section along the second inner wall until the liquid sample reaches the measurement flow path, and sample pressing by delivering the sheath fluid into the taper section along the first inner wall after the liquid sample reaches the measurement flow path.

The invention provides an apparatus and methods for label-free, chemical specific detection in flow for high throughput characterization of analytes in applications such as flow injection analysis, electrophoresis, and chromatography. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) flow detector capable of ultrasensitive optical detection on the millisecond time scale has been developed. The device employs hydrodynamic focusing to improve SERS detection in a flow channel where a sheath flow confines analyte molecules eluted from a capillary over a planar SERS-active substrate. Increased analyte interactions with the SERS substrate significantly improve detection sensitivity. Raman experiments at different sheath flow rates showed increased sensitivity compared with the modeling predictions, indicating increased adsorption. At low analyte concentrations, rapid analyte desorption is observed, enabling repeated and high-throughput SERS detection. The flow detector offers substantial advantages over conventional SERS-based assays such as minimal sample volumes and high detection efficiency.

In a method for hydrodynamic focusing of a laminar and planar sample fluid flow, a system is provided for analysis and/or sorting of microscopic objects in the sample fluid comprising an optical objective for optical inspection of the microscopic objects. Microscopic objects are conveyed in the laminar flow of the sample fluid, and two laminar and planar flow of sheath fluids are provided. The flow of the sample fluid is hydrodynamically focused at an optical inspection zone of the system by the sheath fluids. Focusing of the flow of the sample fluid is controlled such that all of the microscopic objects in the sample fluid are caused to be conveyed in a common flow direction in one single plane at the inspection zone of the system, and the microscopic objects in the fluid are optically inspected through the optical objective.

The present invention is a method and apparatus for acoustic focusing hardware and implementations.

Disclosed is a method for detecting nano-particles, comprising the steps of (1) compressing a sample liquid to be tested into a sample liquid flow by hydrodynamic focusing using a sheath fluid; (2) irradiating a measuring light to the sample liquid flow, wherein a single nano-particle in the sample liquid flow is irradiated by the measuring light for a duration of 0.1-10 milliseconds; (3) defining the area in which the measuring light irradiates the sample liquid flow as a detecting area, and collecting light signals emitted from the area irradiated by the measuring light by a lens imaging system, and allowing the light signals collected by the lens imaging system to pass a field stop, so as to filter out the light signals outside the detecting area and enrich the light signals from the detecting area; and (4) subjecting the light signals enriched by the field stop to optoelectronic signal conversion. The method can achieve detection for nano-particles with a low refractive index and a particle size of 24-1000 nm as well as nano-scale gold particles with a particle size of 6.7-150 nm.

An analysis device includes an analysis unit configured to receive scattered light, transmitted light, fluorescence, or electromagnetic waves from an observed object located in a light irradiation region light-irradiated from a light source and analyze the observed object on the basis of a signal extracted on the basis of a time axis of an electrical signal output from a light-receiving unit configured to convert the received light or electromagnetic waves into the electrical signal.