A magnetic device for processing biological objects including a soft magnetic center pole having a bottom end and a tapered tip end; first and second soft magnetic side poles disposed on opposite sides of the soft magnetic center pole and respectively having first and second bottom ends, the first and second soft magnetic side poles respectively having first and second top ends that bend inward toward the soft magnetic center pole with a first outward side of the first top end and a second outward side of the second top end being substantially coplanar; a magnetic flux source generating magnetic flux in the soft magnetic center pole and the first and second soft magnetic side poles; and a channel plate having a channel embedded therein and a first planar surface that is operable to be in contact with or in close proximity to the first and second outward sides.

A liquid handling device includes: a cartridge including a first reservoir part in which a first reagent that is preservable in a non-frozen state is stored; and a channel chip including a second reservoir part in which a second reagent that should be preserved in a frozen state is stored, and a channel connected to the second reservoir part. The cartridge is attachable and detachable to and from the channel chip. The first reservoir part is connected to the channel when the cartridge is mounted in the channel chip.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for conducting amplification-based analyses, including PCR testing. In one illustrative embodiment, a system may include a testing container assembly and a testing unit. The testing container assembly may include a sample collection port, a sample preparation chamber, and a reaction chamber. The sample collection port may include a bottom opening sealed by a plug member. In use, the testing container assembly may be placed in a seat of the testing unit with a sample in the sample collection port, closed by a lid. A plunger may dislodge the plug member and the sample drawn into the sample preparation chamber. Once sample preparation is complete, a channel may be opened, and the prepared sample flows into the reaction chamber which is then sealed. Testing including amplification reactions, may then be performed, followed by detection, as by detecting fluorescent emissions in the reaction chamber.

Microchannels include membranes operable with magnets or other actuators to deliver samples to one or more reaction zones defined in the microchannels. Membrane flexing can direct samples to selected reaction zones and each reaction zone can be independently temperature controlled to implement a PCR-based sample analysis.

There is provided a method of forming a thin film-based microfluidic electronic device. The method includes: providing a first elastomeric thin film layer on a substrate; depositing a first elastomer on the first elastomeric thin film by direct ink writing to form an elastomeric structure configured to define a microfluidic channel on the first elastomeric thin film layer; providing a second elastomeric thin film layer over the elastomeric structure to cover the microfluidic channel; providing a sacrificial layer on the second elastomeric thin film; depositing liquid metal into the microfluidic channel to form a conductor in the microfluidic channel; and electrically connecting the conductor to an electronic component. The thin film-based microfluidic electronic device is a tissue or skin adhesive sensor including a skin adhesive acoustic device.

A biochip for the integration of all steps in a complex process from the insertion of a sample to the generation of a result, performed without operator intervention includes microfluidic and macrofluidic features that are acted on by instrument subsystems in a series of scripted processing steps. Methods for fabricating these complex biochips of high feature density by injection molding are also provided.

A fluid handling system includes a fluid handling device including an opening for introducing a fluid or discharging the fluid; a tube including a flange, where one end of the tube is for connection to the opening, and the other end of the tube is for connection to an introduction device for supplying the fluid or to a discharge device for discharging the fluid; a support member including a first through hole into which the tube is inserted, and movably supporting the tube; and a first elastic member including a second through hole into which the tube is inserted, and holding a part of the tube while the first elastic member is in contact with the flange and the fluid handling device or the support member.

A system, configured to facilitate processing and detection of nucleic acids, the system comprising a process fluid container and a cartridge comprising: a top layer, a set of sample port-reagent port pairs, a shared fluid port, a vent region, a heating region, and a set of detection chambers; an intermediate substrate, coupled to the top layer comprising a waste chamber; an elastomeric layer, partially situated on the intermediate substrate; and a set of fluidic pathways, each formed by at least a portion of the top layer and a portion of the elastomeric layer, wherein each fluidic pathway is fluidically coupled to a sample port-reagent port pair, the shared fluid port, and a detection chamber, comprises a portion passing through the heating region, and is configured to be occluded upon deformation of the elastomeric layer, to transfer a waste fluid to the waste chamber, and to pass through the vent region.

The disclosure provides a spacing-changeable device and a method using both lateral flow and compressed open flow for assaying a liquid sample. The device includes a first plate, a second plate, and an exterior liquid sample contact area. The spacing between the two plates are changeable to form different configurations including a first and second configurations. In the first configuration, the two plates face each other and form at least two gaps including a spacing-1 and a spacing-1′. The spacing height of the spacing-1′ has a size that allows a liquid sample to flow into the spacing-1′. In the second configuration, the two plates are pressed, which changes spacing-1 and spacing-1′ to spacing-2 and spacing-2′, respectively, and the spacing-2′ has a spacing height larger than that of spacing-2. In the second configuration, the sample flows and spreads in areas of spacing-2 and spacing-2′.

Disclosed is method of manufacturing a microchannel chip by joining together a resin channel substrate having microchannels formed on at least one side thereof and a resin lid substrate, the method including: a step (A) wherein surface modification treatment is applied on joining surfaces of the channel substrate and the lid substrate; and a step (B) wherein, after the step (A), the joining surfaces of the channel substrate and the lid substrate are mated and the channel substrate and the lid substrate are pressurized under heating via a fluid or an elastic body having a durometer hardness of E20 or less.