A microfluidic sensing assembly may include a first structure supporting a sensor array, a second structure joined to the first structure and forming a microfluidic passage and a flat lens to focus light, following reflection of the light back and forth across the microfluidic passage, from the microfluidic passage onto the sensor array.

Described herein are apparatus and methods for orthographic imaging of particles. Particularly, a method to obtain contact-free images of aerosol particles with digital holography from three orthogonal directions is described and demonstrated. Diode lasers of different wavelengths simultaneously illuminate free flowing particles to form holograms on three sensors. Images of the particles are reconstructed from the holograms and used to infer the three-dimensional structure of single spherical particles or clusters of sphere-like particles. The apparatus employs inexpensive components and requires no lenses to achieve the imaging, which gives it a large sensing volume and simple design.

The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for performing particle analysis through flow cytometry at comparatively high event rates and for gathering high resolution images of particles.

Provided is a method for producing a cell contained base, the method being capable of providing a cell contained base highly accurately controlled in number of nucleic acid molecules contained in a low-concentration nucleic acid standard sample, the method including a liquid droplet discharging step of discharging a cell suspension in the form of a liquid droplet with a liquid droplet discharging unit onto a base including at least one cell contained region; a cell number counting step of counting a number of cells contained in the liquid droplet with a plurality of sensors from two or more directions while the liquid droplet is flying into the cell contained region; and a liquid droplet landing step of landing the liquid droplet in the at least one cell contained region in a manner that a predetermined number of cells are located in the at least one cell contained region.

In certain embodiments a device is provided for electrorotation flow. In certain embodiments the device comprises a microfluidic channel comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed to provide dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces that are perpendicular to hydrodynamic flows along the channel; and a fluid within the channel providing the hydrodynamic flow along the channel; wherein the device is configured to apply focusing voltages to the electrodes that provide an electric field minimum in the channel and that focus cells, particles, and/or molecules or molecular complexes within the channel; and where the device is configured to apply rotation-inducing voltages to the electrodes that induce rotation of the cells, particles, molecules and/or molecular complexes as they flow through the channel.

Disclosed is a disease differentiation support method for supporting disease differentiation, the disease differentiation support method including: obtaining a first parameter obtained by analyzing an image including a cell contained in a sample collected from a subject; obtaining a second parameter regarding a number of cells contained in the sample; and generating, by using a computer algorithm, differentiation support information for supporting disease differentiation, on the basis of the first parameter and the second parameter.

A microfluidic chip configuration wherein injection occurs in an upwards vertical direction, and fluid vessels are located below the chip in order to minimize particle settling before and at the analysis portion of the chip's channels. The input and fluid flow up through the bottom of the chip, in one aspect using a manifold, which avoids orthogonal re-orientation of fluid dynamics. The contents of the vial are located below the chip and pumped upwards and vertically directly into the first channel of the chip. A long channel extends from the bottom of the chip to near the top of the chip. Then the channel takes a short horizontal turn that nearly negates any influence of cell settling due to gravity and zero flow velocity at the walls. The fluid is pumped up to a horizontal analysis portion that is the highest channel/fluidic point in the chip and thus close to the top of the chip, which results in clearer imaging. A laser may also suspend cells or particles in this channel during analysis which prevents them from settling.

A microfluidic apparatus is provided that includes a thermoelectrically-activated pixel array, a microfluidic chip, and control circuitry. The pixel array may include a plurality of thermal pixels, with each thermal pixel including a thermoelectric device. The microfluidic chip may include a microfluidic channel disposed adjacent to the thermal pixels such that thermal energy generated by the thermal pixels is received by the microfluidic channel to form a localized spot within the microfluidic channel corresponding to each thermal pixel. The control circuitry may be electrically coupled to each of the thermal pixels and configured to control the thermal energy being generated by each thermal pixel to control a temperature at each localized spot within the microfluidic channel.

An observation device includes an illumination optical system and an observation optical system. The illumination optical system includes a light source and an aperture member. The observation optical system includes an objective lens, an optical structure, and a detector. The optical structure is disposed at a first position which is the position conjugate with the aperture member. The optical structure includes a blocking portion that blocks light and a transmitting portion that transmits light, the blocking portion having a shape including the shape of an image of an aperture of the aperture member which is formed on the optical structure. The detector detects dark-field light passing through the optical structure.

The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for performing particle analysis through flow cytometry at comparatively high event rates and for gathering high resolution images of particles.