An apparatus and a method for providing one or more substance liquids to a microfluidic channel network (30). The microfluidic apparatus includes valves for switching the one or more substance liquids to a microfluidic channel network (30). The apparatus can be used to generate a sequence of the one or more substance liquids as individual droplets in an immiscible separation liquid wherein individual ones of the sequence of droplets are located between the separation liquid.

A system and method for dispense characterization is disclosed. According to particular embodiments of the dispense characterization system and method, volumes of dispensed liquids can be determined. In more particular embodiments, additional characteristics and combinations of characteristics of a liquid dispensing event can be determined. Examples of additional characteristics that can be determined include the shape of the dispensing event, the velocity of the dispensing event, and the trajectory of the dispensing event. The dispense characterization system and method can be employed in automated biological sample analysis systems, and are particularly suited for monitoring liquid reagent dispensing events that deliver liquid reagents to a surface of a microscope slide holding a biological sample.

A system includes a device configured to facilitate an interaction between a first fluid flow and a second fluid flow within a flow path of the device; an optical sensor configured to obtain one or more images representing the flow path; an image analysis module configured to: process the images to identify at least one droplet generated in a flow path of the device by the interaction between the first fluid flow and the second fluid flow, and estimate a size of the at least one droplet; and a control system configured to: determine that the size of the at least one droplet satisfies a threshold condition, and responsive to determining that the size of the at least one droplet satisfies the threshold condition, generate a signal that causes an adjustment to a flow rate of at least one of the first fluid flow or the second fluid flow.

A micro-fluidic device 100 for performing digital PCR is presented. The device comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a first micro-fluidic channel 104, comprising an inlet 102 and an outlet 103, embedded in the semiconductor substrate; a heating element 101 thermally coupled to the first micro-fluidic channel 104; a droplet generator 107 connected to the inlet 102 of the first micro-fluidic channel 104 for generating droplets and pumping generated droplets at a flow rate into the first micro-fluidic channel 104; characterized in that: the heating element 101 is a single heating element connected to a temperature control unit 111 configured to cycle the temperature of the complete first micro-fluidic channel 104 through at least two temperature values; and wherein the flow rate of the droplet generator 107 is adaptable. Further, a method to perform digital PCR is presented using the micro-fluidic device 100.

A microfluidic system includes a microfluidic chip including a channel layer and a fluid control layer operatively connected to the channel layer, the channel layer having one or more fluid channels. The one or more channels are configured to contain a plurality of droplets. A valve control system is provided to control flow of fluid through the one or more fluid channels in the channel layer. The microfluidic system also includes a droplet impedance detection and feedback control system operatively connected to the valve control system. The droplet impedance detection and feedback control system is configured to detect at least a position of at least one droplet in a fluid channel and to send a signal to the valve control system to operate a particular valve at a particular time based on the detected position of the at least one droplet.

A droplet dispensing apparatus includes a droplet ejecting array having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles arranged in columns in a first direction and rows in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and the plurality of nozzles being arranged in a third direction, a light emitting unit configured to emit light along an optical path in the third direction oblique with respect to the first direction, a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the light emitting unit, the light receiving unit being on an opposite side of the droplet ejecting array from the light emitting unit, and a controller configured to receive signals from the light receiving unit according to light intensity as detected by the light receiving unit, and adjust ejection timings such that each of the plurality of nozzle groups ejects at a different timing.

A microfluidic apparatus includes a microfluidic chip for MicroOrganoSpheres (MOS) generation. A first channel is defined in a surface of the microfluidic chip and includes: a droplet generation portion including an inlet portion, a junction between the inlet portion and an emulsifying fluid channel, and a chamber downstream of the junction. A cross-sectional area of the chamber is larger than that of the inlet portion. The first channel includes a polymerization portion downstream of the droplet generation portion, the polymerization portion having a serpentine configuration. The apparatus includes a cartridge for MOS demulsification, including: a collection container; a substrate disposed on the collection container, and a membrane disposed between the collection container and the surface of the substrate. A second channel is defined in the surface of the substrate that faces the collection container and is fluidically connected to an output of the polymerization portion of the first channel.

A system and method for dispense characterization is disclosed. According to particular embodiments of the dispense characterization system and method, volumes of dispensed liquids can be determined. In more particular embodiments, additional characteristics, and combinations of characteristics of a liquid dispensing event can be determined. Examples of additional characteristics that can be determined include the shape of the dispensing event, the velocity of the dispensing event, and the trajectory of the dispensing event. The dispense characterization system and method can be employed in automated biological sample analysis systems, and are particularly suited for monitoring liquid reagent dispensing events that deliver liquid reagents to a surface of a microscope slide holding a biological sample.

A method includes flowing a first fluid through a first channel of a microfluidic apparatus and flowing a second fluid through a second channel of the microfluidic apparatus. The first fluid comprises biological material and a matrix material and is immiscible with the second fluid. The first and second fluids are combined at a junction to form droplets of the first fluid dispersed in the second fluid in a third channel. Multiple exposures of a droplet in the third channel are captured in a single image, comprising: illuminating a region of the third channel with multiple successive illumination pulses during a single frame of the imaging device; identifying the droplet and determining a velocity or a size of the droplet based on an analysis of the captured exposures; and controlling the flow of the first fluid or second fluid to obtain droplets of a target size or velocity.

A microfluidic apparatus includes a microfluidic chip for MicroOrganoSpheres (MOS) generation. A first channel is defined in a surface of the microfluidic chip and includes: a droplet generation portion including an inlet portion, a junction between the inlet portion and an emulsifying fluid channel, and a chamber downstream of the junction. A cross-sectional area of the chamber is larger than that of the inlet portion. The first channel includes a polymerization portion downstream of the droplet generation portion, the polymerization portion having a serpentine configuration. The apparatus includes a cartridge for MOS demulsification, including: a collection container; a substrate disposed on the collection container, and a membrane disposed between the collection container and the surface of the substrate. A second channel is defined in the surface of the substrate that faces the collection container and is fluidically connected to an output of the polymerization portion of the first channel.