In one aspect, a thermal cycler system including a sample block and a thermoelectric device is disclosed. In various embodiments, the sample block has a first surface configured to receive a plurality of reaction vessels and an opposing second surface. In various embodiments the thermoelectric device is operably coupled to the second surface of the sample block. In various embodiments a thermal control unit is provided. In various embodiments the thermal control unit includes a computer processing unit. In various embodiments the thermal control unit includes an electrical current source. In various embodiments the thermal control unit also includes an electrical interface portion configured to connect the thermoelectric device with the electrical current source by way of an electrical cable. In various embodiments the thermal control unit is oriented in a different plane than the sample block and thermoelectric cooler.

A disease screening device (100) comprising a substrate (101) and a sonication chamber (102) formed on the substrate (101). The sonication chamber (102) is provided with an ultrasonic transducer (105) which generates ultrasonic waves to lyse cells in a sample fluid within the sonication chamber (102). The device (100) comprises a reagent chamber (111) formed on the substrate (101) for receiving a liquid PCR reagent. The device (100) comprises a controller (23) which controls the ultrasonic transducer (105) and a heating arrangement (128) which is provided on the substrate (101). The device (100) further comprises a detection apparatus which detects the presence of an infectious disease, such as COVID-19 disease.

A cartridge has a container with at least one well, protrusions distributed on the container base side, and a flat polymer film having a lower surface and a hydrophobic upper surface kept at a distance (d) to the container base side by the protrusions. The container and the film are reversibly attachable to a liquid droplet manipulation instrument so that the lower surface of the film abuts at least one electrode array of the instrument. The container enables displacement of at least one liquid droplet from a well onto the hydrophobic upper surface of the flat polymer film and above the electrode array. The liquid droplet manipulation instrument has a control unit with a voltage control and an electrode selector for individually selecting each electrode of the electrode array and for providing the selected electrode with a voltage.

Bodily fluid sample collection systems, devices, and method are provided. The device may comprise a first portion comprising at least a sample collection channel configured to draw the fluid sample into the sample collection channel via a first type of motive force. The sample collection device may include a second portion comprising a sample vessel for receiving the bodily fluid sample collected in the sample collection channel, the sample vessel operably engagable to be in fluid communication with the collection channel, whereupon when fluid communication is established, the vessel and/or another source provides a second motive force different from the first motive force to move a majority of the bodily fluid sample from the channel into the vessel.

A temperature control device (2) comprises a number of active thermal sites (6) disposed at respective locations on a substrate (10), each comprising a heating element (13) for applying a variable amount of heat to a corresponding site of a medium and a thermal insulation layer (16) disposed between the heating element and the substrate. At least one passive thermal region (8) is disposed between the active thermal sites (6) on the substrate (10), each passive thermal region (8) comprising a thermal conduction layer (18) for conducting heat from a corresponding portion of the medium to the substrate (10). The thermal conduction layer (18) has a lower thermal resistance in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the substrate (10) than the thermal insulation layer (16). This enables precise control over both heating and cooling of individual sites in a flowing fluid, for example.

A microfluidic transport system for transporting microdroplets in three spatial dimensions among layers of a layered microfluidic system. In an example arrangement, a first microfluidic layer for transporting microdroplets in two spatial dimensions responsive to electric fields created by electrical operation of electrodes is fluidically connected by one or more conduits to other microfluidic layers. Microdroplets can be transported through the one or more conduits so as to be moved among a plurality of layered microfluidic arrangements. The resulting layered system can be used for heat transfer, fluidic transfer, and other uses, and can be implemented using materials such as metal, glass, polymer, plastic, layered materials, fibrous materials, etc. In some applications the layered system can be implemented within a printed circuit board, integrated circuit housing. Example applications include integrated circuit cooling, energy harvesting, microfluidic processing systems, chemical reactors, biochemical reactors, chemical analysis arrangements, biochemical analysis arrangements, and other apparatus.

The present disclosure provide a detection chip having at least one functional region, the functional region including: a reaction region and a non-reaction region surrounding the reaction region. The detection chip includes: a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other. In the reaction region, a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate is provided with reaction grooves arranged in an array along a first direction and a second direction; first communication grooves each between two reaction grooves adjacent in the first direction, and connected with the two reaction grooves; and second communication grooves each between two first communication grooves adjacent in the second direction, and connected with the two adjacent first communication grooves, and the first direction intersects the second direction. The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a fabrication method and a sample introduction method of the detection chip.

An incubation system includes an actuator, a platform, an incubation lid, and a dispenser. The actuator includes a motion disc and a shaft connected to the motion disc. The shaft extends away from the motion disc. The platform is connected to the shaft of the actuator in a manner allowing movement transmission. The platform has a through hole and a thermal conductive plate. One end of the through hole is sealed by the thermal conductive plate. The incubation lid is movably disposed over the platform. The platform is thermal insulating. The incubation lid has an opening allowing fluid communication, and the dispenser suspends over the thermal conductive plate of the platform.

A test element support comprises a heating element for heating a test element for analytical examination of a sample. The heating element comprises a substrate, which is made of at least one substrate material. The substrate comprises at least one active area configured for being heated and at least one non-active area outside the active area. The active and the non-active areas are separated by at least one thermal insulation element. The thermal insulation element has a lower thermal conductivity than the substrate material. The thermal insulation element is fully or partially embedded into the substrate. The test element support further comprises at least one heater. The heater comprises at least one heater substrate and the heater substrate is attached to the substrate, wherein the heater substrate is attached to a back face of the substrate. The back face opposes a front face of the substrate contacting the test element.

Fluidic systems including cartridges with modular components (cassettes) and/or microfluidic channels for performing chemical and/or biological analyses are provided. The systems described herein include a cartridge comprising, in some embodiments, a frame, one or more cassettes which may be inserted into the frame, and a channel system for transporting fluids. In certain embodiments, the one or more cassettes comprise one or more reservoirs or vessels configured to contain and/or receive a fluid (e.g., a stored reagent, a sample). In some cases, the stored reagent may include one or more lyospheres. The systems and methods described herein may be useful for performing chemical and/or biological reactions including polymerase chain reactions (PCR) such as those performed within a laboratory, clinical (e.g., hospital), or research setting.