A sample injector for injecting a fluid into a fluidic path, wherein the sample injector comprises a robot arm configured for moving an injection needle, when being connected to the robot arm, between a fluid container containing the fluid and a seat in fluid communication with the fluidic path, the needle configured for aspirating the fluid from the fluid container, when the needle has been moved to the fluid container, and for injecting aspirated fluid into the fluidic path, when the needle is accommodated in the seat, and the seat configured for accommodating the needle and providing fluid communication with the fluidic path, wherein the robot arm is configured for selectively disconnecting the needle from the robot arm when the needle is accommodated in the seat, and wherein the robot arm is configured for performing a further task while the needle is disconnected from the robot arm.

Disclosed in the present application is a sample adding needle for preparing microdroplets, comprising a liquid storage portion and a liquid discharge portion, which are integrally injection molded and penetrate one another; the liquid storage portion is a truncated cone the radial dimension of which gradually decreases in the direction facing the liquid discharge portion, and the liquid discharge portion is a truncated cone the radial dimension of which gradually decreases in the direction away from the liquid storage portion; the taper of the liquid storage portion is C1, the taper of the liquid discharge portion is C2, and C1≤C2; the wall thickness of the liquid storage portion is D1, the wall thickness of the liquid discharge portion is D2, and D1>D2. For the sample adding needle for preparing microdroplets as described in the present application, when preparing microdroplets by using the sample adding needle, the sample adding needle performs periodic reciprocating motion at varying speeds in an oily liquid such that a sample solution is subject to periodic shear force from the oily liquid at a liquid discharge opening, thereby enabling the sample solution within the sample adding needle to enter the oily liquid, thus achieving the production of microdroplets having uniform size and controllable volume.

The invention provides methods for assessing one or more predetermined characteristics or properties of a microfluidic droplet within a microfluidic channel, and regulating one or more fluid flow rates within that channel to selectively alter the predetermined microdroplet characteristic or property using a feedback control.

According to the present invention, a packing member (20) is disposed between a mouth portion (2b) of a container body (2) and a lid base portion (5). A crushing protrusion (20b) which protrudes downward and is crushed to an upper end opening edge of the container body (2) is formed on a lower surface of the packing member (20). An overhang recess (20c) which is at least partially located just above the crushing protrusion (20b) is formed on an upper surface of the packing member (20). After the lid base portion (5), the movable lid portion (6) and the syringe tube (8) are detached from the container body (2), when mounting again, until a crushing protrusion (20b) is crushed, the packing member (20) forms a communication gap (30) between the mouth portion (2b) of the container body (2) and the packing member (20).

A continuous throughput microfluidic system includes an input system configured to provide a sequential stream of sample plugs; a droplet generator arranged in fluid connection with the input system to receive the sequential stream of sample plugs and configured to provide an output stream of droplets; a droplet treatment system arranged in fluid connection with the droplet generator to receive the output stream of droplets in a sequential order and configured to provide a stream of treated droplets in the sequential order; a detection system arranged to obtain detection signals from the treated droplets in the sequential order; a control system configured to communicate with the input system, the droplet generator, and the droplet treatment system; and a data processing and storage system configured to communicate with the control system and the detection system.

Provided are microfluidic systems and methods for detecting, sorting, and dispensing of low abundance events such as single cells and particles, including a variety of eukaryotic and bacterial cells, for a variety of bioassay applications. The systems and methods described herein, when implemented in whole or in part, will make relevant microfluidic based tools available for a variety of applications in biotechnology including antibody discovery, immuno-therapeutic discovery, high-throughput single cell analysis, target-specific compound screening, and synthetic biology screening.

Flow cytometric droplet dispensing systems and methods for using the same to flow cytometrically dispense droplets into partitions are provided. Aspects of embodiments of the systems include sorting flow cytometers configured to sort both particle-occupied and particle-unoccupied droplets into a partition. Also provided are methods of using the systems. Systems and methods of the invention find use in a variety of applications.

In various implementations, a dropper for a bottle may include a bulb with a flange and an extended leg. The dropper may be used as a cap, in some implementations, with or without a skirt. The dropper may inhibit leaks from a bottle when the dropper is used as a cap for the bottle.

The present invention provides a microfluidic circuit for generating uniform droplets despite fluctuations in pressure, and manufacturing methods and uses thereof. Said circuit comprises microfluidic channels for carrying a continuous phase and a dispersed phase. In one embodiment, the ratio of the flow resistance of the dispersed phase to that of the continuous phase is equal to the ratio of the flow rate of the continuous phase to that of the dispersed phase. In one embodiment, the present microfluidic circuit comprises two features to achieve the desired ratio of flow resistance and flow rate of the dispersed phase and continuous phase: (a) using a single pressure source which applies identical pressure to the inlets of the upstream channels carrying the two phases, and (b) the flow resistance of the dispersed phase and continuous phase is much higher than the flow resistance of the downstream channel so that the flow resistance of the downstream channel become negligible.

Clean chamber technology for 3D printers and bioprinters is described. An airtight chamber or enclosure is provided so that positive pressure can be created inside the chamber. Unfiltered air is sucked in from outside into the chamber through a high efficiency filter such as a HEPA filter, using an electrically powered fan or blower, filtering out at least about 99% of particles and contaminants. The filtered air is then pushed into a 3D printing area inside the chamber and out through vents within the frame of the chamber. The technology provides a clean environment for 3D bioprinting of human tissue models and organs and 3D cell culturing without requiring clean room facilities.