A fluidic handling unit includes a baseplate, a fluidic inlet block, a fluidic outlet block, a pump in fluidic communication with the fluidic inlet block and the fluidic outlet block, a carrier control board in electrical communication with the pump, and a flow cell carrier comprising a microfluidic flow cell receiving area, wherein the flow cell carrier is configured to receive and retain the fluidic handling unit. A bottom surface of the fluidic handling unit is configured to complementary mate with a top surface of the flow cell carrier, or wherein a bottom surface of the flow cell carrier is configured to complementarily mate with a top surface of the fluidic handling unit.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods of use utilizing interfacial effects enabling droplet actuation, inhibition and early sensing of molecular reactions, such as of polymerase chain reaction.

A multiplexer for controlling a fluid in a microchannel by controlling pneumatic pressure in the microchannel in a microfluidics chip includes: a first pneumatic channel; and a second pneumatic channel forming a cross point which is in communication with the first pneumatic channel, wherein the cross point is in communication with the microchannel of the microfluidics chip, and predetermined pneumatic pressure is provided to the microchannel by using a combination of providing of the pneumatic pressure to the first and second pneumatic channels, channel closing, or channel opening.

Methods and apparatus for detecting, quantifying, enriching, and/or separating bacterial species in fluid sample are provided. The fluid sample is provided as input to a microfluidic passage of a microfluidic device, wherein the microfluidic device comprises at least one electrode disposed adjacent to the microfluidic passage. The at least one electrode is activated to capture bacteria in the sample using dielectrophoresis, wherein the capture efficiency of bacteria is at least 99%.

Provided herein are devices and methods for generating positive and negative pressures. The devices and methods are suited for the generation of pressures; in particular, the pressures generated can be useful for controlling the flow of fluids, such as in fluidic device.

A recirculating bath includes a reservoir for receiving a working liquid, a recirculating pump, and at least one thermal element. The recirculating pump and thermal element are located externally to the reservoir so that the reservoir has an unobstructed working space. The thermal element may be thermally coupled to the working liquid through an interior surface of the reservoir, or the working liquid may be circulated over the thermal element by the recirculating pump in a chamber external to the reservoir. The recirculating bath may also include a lid that provides access to the reservoir by pivoting on a latching hinge. When open, the lid may provide a working surface adjacent to the reservoir. The lid may also include a selector that unlatches the hinge so that the lid can be removed. The recirculating pump may be fluidically coupled to the reservoir via a manifold.

Provided herein are microfluidic viscometer assemblies and methods using the same, that include a microfluidic cartridge having microfluidic circuits that have channels adapted for viscosity determination without the need of a control fluid or oil. The viscometer assemblies also include an image recording system and a pressure control unit. In some embodiments, a temperature control unit is included as well. During methods using the viscometers provided herein, microfluidic cartridges can be loaded and removed from a viscometer, and disposed of.

A microfluidic device can comprise a plurality of interconnected microfluidic elements. A plurality of actuators can be positioned abutting, immediately adjacent to, and/or attached to deformable surfaces of the microfluidic elements. The actuators can be selectively actuated and de-actuated to create directed flows of a fluidic medium in the microfluidic (or nanofluidic) device. Further, the actuators can be selectively actuated and de-actuated to create localized flows of a fluidic medium in the microfluidic device to move reagents and/or micro-objects in the microfluidic device.

Methods and apparatus for detecting, quantifying, enriching, and/or separating bacterial species in fluid sample are provided. The fluid sample is provided as input to a microfluidic passage of a microfluidic device, wherein the microfluidic device comprises at least one electrode disposed adjacent to the microfluidic passage. The at least one electrode is activated to capture bacteria in the sample using dielectrophoresis, wherein the capture efficiency of bacteria is at least 99%.

A microfluidic chip orients and isolates components in a sample fluid mixture by two step focusing, where sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a sample input channel in one direction, such that the sample fluid mixture becomes a narrower stream bounded by the sheath fluids, and by having the sheath fluids compress the sample fluid mixture in a second direction further downstream, such that the components are compressed and oriented in a selected direction to pass through an interrogation chamber in single file formation for identification and separation by various methods. The isolation mechanism utilizes external, stacked piezoelectric actuator assemblies disposed on a microfluidic chip holder, or piezoelectric actuator assemblies on-chip, so that the actuator assemblies are triggered by an electronic signal to actuate jet chambers on either side of the sample input channel, to jet selected components in the sample input channel into one of the output channels.