A microfluidic system includes a hydrophobic fluidic platform and a heater. The platform includes a plurality of electrode cells operably connected to a voltage source and a controller. The heater is configured to fuse first and second vesicles. The first and second vesicles encapsulate first and second DNA precursors, respectively. The fusing combines the first and second DNA precursors. In another embodiment, a microfluidic system includes a fluidic platform including a plurality of electrode cells, a vesicle mover, and a reaction facilitator. The vesicle mover is configured to move first and second vesicles to a selected cell of the plurality of electrode cells. The reaction facilitator is operably connected to the selected cell. A method includes providing a fluidic platform comprising a plurality of cells; moving first and second vesicles encapsulating first and second reagents, respectively, to a first cell; and fusing the first and second vesicles.

Described herein are systems relating to a continuous-flow instrument that includes all necessary components for digital droplet quantification without the need to introduce key reagents or collect and transfer droplets between stages of instrument operation. Digital quantification can proceed without any additional fluid or consumable handling and without exposing fluids to risk of external contamination.

The present disclosure relates to a rapid genetic screening method and device. The method includes: collecting a sample to be tested of a patient through a micro-fluidic chip, where the sample to be tested includes a whole blood or saliva or nasopharyngeal swab or wound swab sample of a patient; lysing and amplifying the sample to be tested in the micro-fluidic chip to obtain an amplified nucleic acid segment; fusing a biosensor with amplification liquid, where the biosensor is provided with a DNA probe which can only be bounded to a specific nucleic acid segment and in which an impedance may dramatically change before and after the bounding; and inputting an electrical signal to the biosensor, testing a signal of an output end, and determining whether a nucleic acid segment matched with the DNA probe exists in the sample to be tested of the patient. The DNA probe can be replaced to test whether different nucleic acid segments exist. A person only need to collect the sample to be tested of the patient, select a probe, and configure simple parameters, so that the operations are simple, without performing nucleic acid extraction and purification on the sample to be tested, and the testing efficiency is greatly improved.

A device for thermal treatment of samples includes: a base unit with a receiving region for a sample carrier; a temperature control block arranged in the receiving region; a lid; a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the temperature control block; a control unit for heating and cooling the temperature control block; and a reference element for in situ calibrating, validating and/or adjusting of the temperature sensor, which reference element is comprised of a material having at least one phase change at at least one predetermined phase change temperature in a temperature range suitable for calibrating the temperature sensor, during which phase change the material remains in the solid state.

A collection device for a biological sample to capture target compounds such as viruses or other pathogens or particles for testing from within the sample and move the captured target compound to a separate chamber for subsequent processing. The collection device can include an openable substance blister including capture particles located in a cup interior. Capture particles can attract and bind the target compounds from the sample. An extraction tube extracts any nucleic acid from the target compound for storage or subsequent amplification and testing to confirm presence of known microorganisms. The extraction tube can comprise a heat-deformable material and can be connected to a microfluidic cartridge for further processing of nucleic acid including, amplification and detection. The microfluidic cartridge includes valves and a plurality of chambers for amplification.

A laboratory water generation and distribution system capable of distributing laboratory water at different temperatures is disclosed. A laboratory water generation section is configured to receive potable water and treat the potable water to generate laboratory water. A laboratory water distribution section comprises a laboratory water storage tank and a main distribution loop fluidly communicating with the laboratory water storage tank to receive the laboratory water therefrom. The laboratory water distribution section further comprises a sub distribution loop operatively connected to the main distribution loop via a valve to receive the laboratory water therefrom. The sub distribution loop returns to the main distribution loop and dispenses the laboratory water to the main distribution loop.

A bench top incubator is described. The bench top incubator includes a first tray stack designed to retain microscope slides in a plurality of slide trays and a second tray stack designed to retain multi-well plates in a plurality of plate trays. The incubator is relatively simple and small in design and can be conveniently located to carry out temperature processing of biological samples such as fixed cells and tissues, biological fluids, and so forth.

A method and system for measuring the alignment between a substrate and a platform upon which it is disposed by using image processing algorithms are described herein. These algorithms automate the detection of edges of a microscope slide and the platform in a digital image. A reference line pattern in an image of the platform can be used to detect platform edges based on a computed location of the reference line pattern in the image.

There is provided a sample processing cartridge comprising a. a sample entry location; b. a closed sample processing chamber; c. a sample analysis location comprising a sample analysis well; d. a first channel fluidly connecting the sample entry location and the sample processing chamber; e. a second channel connecting the sample analysis location and the sample processing chamber, the second channel comprising a closed or closable second channel valve;
wherein the sample processing chamber comprises a second channel port providing fluid connection between the second channel and the sample processing chamber, the second channel port being positioned in a sample accumulating region of the sample processing chamber.

There is also provided a sample processing system comprising the cartridge, and methods of use of the cartridge and processing system in a sample processing assay.

A device for detecting a substance in a solution, wherein the device comprises: a substrate comprising silicon; a first electrode for use as a working electrode in an electrochemical cell and coupled to the substrate; and Ohmic contacts coupled to the substrate and configured to pass a current through the substrate when connected to a power source.