The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

A general-purpose software-reconfigurable chemical process system useful in a wide range of applications is disclosed. Embodiments may include software control of internal processes, automated provisions for cleaning internal elements with solvents, provisions for clearing and drying gasses, and multitasking operation. In one family of embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable Lab-on-a-Chip or embedded chemical processor is realized that can facilitate a wide range of applications, instruments, and appliances. Through use of a general architecture, a single design can be economically manufactured in large scale and readily adapted to diverse specialized applications. Clearing and cleaning provisions may be used to facilitate reuse of the device, or may be used for decontamination prior to recycling or non-reclaimed disposal. In other embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable laboratory glassware setup may be realized, sparing talented laboratory staff from repetitive, complex, or low-level tasks occurring in analysis, synthesis, or small-scale chemical manufacturing.

A system that generates brewed beverages may receive requests to produce specified brewed beverages. The system may include a scheduler that initiates and controls the performance of one or more chemical or mechanical processes to produce the beverages. While one chemical or mechanical process for producing a beverage is being performed, other processes may be performed for production of the beverage or another beverage. The scheduler may determine the time at which to perform each process, the time at which a beverage should be presented, the resources to be used to perform the processes, or the time at which to perform a cleaning process, dependent on an actual or expected demand for beverages, or dependent on a target time for beverage retrieval. Shared resources may be applied to the production of beverages for high priority orders, while partially completed beverages for lower priority orders are staged for subsequent advancement.

The present invention provides a system for analyzing a sample liquid comprising a test tape having a plurality of test elements, a tape transport device which successively transports the test elements to a sample application site while advancing the tape, and a measuring device which scans the test elements loaded with sample liquid at a measuring site. The measuring site is located at a distance from the sample application site in the direction of tape movement. The tape transport is interrupted in order to exactly position a wetted area of the test elements carrying a sample liquid at the measuring site by means of a positioning device that responds to the presence of sample liquid on the test element.

Systems, methods, and software that measure a plurality of error values each related to a different condition of an aquatic environment monitoring system including a degradation in a chemical indicator due to photo-aging, a degradation in a chemical indicator due to water-aging, a physical contamination of a chemical indicator, an illumination imbalance related to an optical reader, a degradation of a light source of an optical reader, a contamination in water between an optical reader and a chemical indicator, a displacement due to friction between a chemical indicator apparatus and a monitoring unit, an error intrinsic in a chemical indicator, and an error in distance between a chemical indicator and an optical reader. The plurality of error values are used to determine a confidence level that is compared to a threshold value associated with the monitoring system. A correction instruction is generated for correcting one or more of the conditions.

Systems and methods for analysis of samples, and in certain embodiments, microfluidic sample analyzers configured to receive a cassette containing a sample therein to perform an analysis of the sample are described. The microfluidic sample analyzers may be used to control fluid flow, mixing, and sample analysis in a variety of microfluidic systems such as microfluidic point-of-care diagnostic platforms. Advantageously, the microfluidic sample analyzers may be, in some embodiments, inexpensive, reduced in size compared to conventional bench top systems, and simple to use. Cassettes that can operate with the sample analyzers are also described.

Systems and methods for analysis of samples, and in certain embodiments, microfluidic sample analyzers configured to receive a cassette containing a sample therein to perform an analysis of the sample are described. The microfluidic sample analyzers may be used to control fluid flow, mixing, and sample analysis in a variety of microfluidic systems such as microfluidic point-of-care diagnostic platforms. Advantageously, the microfluidic sample analyzers may be, in some embodiments, inexpensive, reduced in size compared to conventional bench top systems, and simple to use. Cassettes that can operate with the sample analyzers are also described.

Methods and systems for monitoring and/or controlling protein separation, purification, extraction, and/or fractionation processes are provided. The impedance of a protein mixture undergoing a protein process is measured and compared to a target reference impedance value or range of reference impedance values. If the measured impedance is not within an acceptable deviation of the target reference impedance value, a parameter of the protein mixture or process is adjusted.

Systems and methods for software-reconfigurable chemical process systems useful in a wide range of applications. Embodiments may include software control of internal processes, automated provisions for cleaning internal elements with solvents, provisions for clearing and drying gasses, and multitasking operation. In one family of embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable Lab-on-a-Chip or embedded chemical processor is realized that can facilitate a wide range of applications, instruments, and appliances. Through use of a general architecture, a single design can be economically manufactured in large scale and readily adapted to diverse specialized applications. Clearing and cleaning provisions may be used to facilitate reuse of the device, or may be used for decontamination prior to recycling or non-reclaimed disposal. In other embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable laboratory glassware setup may be realized, sparing talented laboratory staff from repetitive, complex, or low-level tasks occurring in analysis, synthesis, or smallscale chemical manufacturing.

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.