The present disclosure is drawn to inertial pumps. An inertial pump can include a microfluidic channel, a fluid actuator located in the microfluidic channel, and a check valve located in the microfluidic channel. The check valve can include a moveable valve element, a narrowed channel segment located upstream of the moveable valve element, and a blocking element formed in the microfluidic channel downstream of the moveable valve element. The narrowed channel segment can have a width less than a width of the moveable valve element so that the moveable valve element can block fluid flow through the check valve when the moveable valve element is positioned in the narrowed channel segment. The blocking element can be configured such that the blocking element constrains the moveable valve element within the check valve while also allowing fluid flow when the moveable valve element is positioned against the blocking element.

Provided is microparticle extraction technology capable of stably extracting only a target microparticle at high speed from a sheath flow flowing through a flow path. A particle extraction apparatus includes: a first extraction unit for extracting, from a whole sample containing a target particle, an extraction sample containing the target particle without performing abort processing; and a second extraction unit for subjecting the extraction sample to abort processing and extracting only the target particle.

Methods for mass production of new microfluidic devices are described. The microfluidic devices may include an array of micro-needles with open channels in fluid communication with multiple reservoirs located within a substrate that supports the micro-needles. The micro-needles are configured so as to sufficiently penetrate the skin in order to collect or sample bodily fluids and transfer the fluids to the reservoirs. The micro-needles may also deliver medicaments into or below the skin.

A sample loading cartridge (1) for a microfluidic device comprises a cartridge body (10) with a sample reservoir (20) configured to house a volume of a liquid sample (3) and a sample port (30) in connection with the sample reservoir (20). The cartridge (1) also comprises an output channel (40) extending from the sample reservoir (20) and a feedback channel (50) connected to the sample reservoir (20) and to the sample port (30). The cartridge body (10) comprises a detection portion (60) aligned with the feedback channel (50) to enable detection of any sample (3) in the feedback channel (50). The flow resistance of the feedback channel (50) is lower than the flow resistance of the output channel (40) to cause liquid sample (3) received in the sample port (30) to enter the feedback channel (50) with substantially no liquid sample (3) entering the output channel (40).

An integrated package comprising a lab-on-chip (LOC) is disclosed. The LOC includes at least one integrated device having a membrane portion having a membrane opening; the membrane portion having a first side and a second side, the first side opposite the second side, a MEMS portion disposed on the first side of the membrane portion, the MEMS portion having a sharp member disposed on an actuator stage within a MEMS cavity, and a fluidic portion disposed on the second side of the membrane portion, the fluidic portion having a fluidic cavity for flowing a fluid medium within the fluidic portion; and a fluidic cap forming a surface of the fluidic portion of the LOC, the fluidic cap having a fluidic inlet and a fluidic outlet. The method of operating the LOC includes power to the at least one integrated device to capture one or more particles for interrogation.

A fluid propelling apparatus, including a plastic compound, a MEMS at least partially surrounded by the compound, and a heat sink next to the MEMS, to transfer heat away from the MEMS, wherein the heat sink is at least partly surrounded by the compound.

Provided is a device for amplifying and detecting a gene. The device for amplifying and detecting the gene includes a gene amplification chip comprising channels through which a sample flows and transparent heaters provided on the gene amplification chip. The channels include a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel, and the first to third channels have a triangular loop structure, and the transparent heaters include a first transparent heater, a second transparent heater, and a third transparent heater, which are respectively provided on the first to third channels.

A fluidic device includes a first circulation flow path and a second circulation flow path which circulate a solution containing a sample material, the first circulation flow path and the second circulation flow path share at least a part of the flow path, and at least one selected from the group consisting of a capture unit which captures the sample material, a detection unit which detects the sample material, a valve, and a pump is provided on the shared flow path.

Provided is photoactivated selective release (or PHASR) of droplets from a microwell array enabled by a photoresponsive polymer layer integrated into the microfluidic device. This photoresponsive layer is placed in between a microwell array that traps a large number of droplets and a monolithic flow chamber that can be used for recovery. By using focused light, the photoresponsive layer can either be punctured or induced to create local heating to selectively release droplets. The type of photoacoustic dye and the physical properties of the photoresponsive layer can be engineered to induce either puncture of the membrane or pushing of droplets out of the microwells with low thermal impact on the droplets. This approach has broad application in the field of soft lithography-based microfluidic devices for various applications including photoresponsive valves as well as high throughput single cell sequencing.

A method for forming a biological microdevice includes applying a biocompatible coarse scale additive process with an additive device and a biocompatible material to form an object. The coarse scale is a dimension not less than about 100 μm. The method also includes applying a biocompatible fine scale subtractive process with a subtractive device to the object. The fine scale is a dimension not greater than about 1000 μm. The method also includes moving the object between the additive device and the subtractive device. A system is also provided for performing the above method and includes the additive device, the subtractive device, a means for transporting the object between the additive device and subtractive device and a processor with a memory including instructions to perform one or more of the above method steps.