An in-line holographic microscope can be used to analyze on a frame-by-frame basis a video stream to track individual colloidal particles' three-dimensional motions. The system and method can provide real time nanometer resolution, and simultaneously measure particle sizes and refractive indexes. Through a combination of applying a combination of Lorenz-Mie analysis with selected hardware and software methods, this analysis can be carried out in near real time. An efficient particle identification methodology automates initial position estimation with sufficient accuracy to enable unattended holographic tracking and characterization.

The present invention generally relates to a wearable electronic device that collects information about test sample using an optical sensor. The wearable device photographs and analyzes one or more organic samples placed on one or more immunoassay regions of a test strip in order to reveal information about the sample. The wearable electronic device may also sequentially photograph a plurality of individual organic samples applied to different immunoassay regions of a test strip.

A method for evaluating a biological material for unassociated virus-like particles virus size having a particular epitope uses a fluorescent antibody stain specific for binding with the epitope and a fluid sample with the virus-size particles and fluorescent antibody stain is subjected to flow cytometry with identification of fluorescent emission detection events indicative of passage through a flow cell of a flow cytometer of unassociated labeled particles of virus size including such a virus-like particle and fluorescent antibody stain.

A method of microfluidic detection can include detecting, using an impedance sensor, an impedance of a fluid to indicate whether a threshold amount of fluid has been received in a reservoir of a microfluidic chip. The method can include initiating a test performed by the microfluidic chip on the received fluid when the threshold amount of fluid has been received.

A microfluidic diagnostic chip may comprise a main fluid channel comprising a main pump, a secondary fluid channel branching off from the main fluid channel, and a secondary pump within the secondary fluid channel wherein the secondary pump is to pull a particle of analyte of a first size from a fluid passing through the main channel, the fluid comprising particles of analyte of the first size and of a number of larger sizes. A method of analyzing an analyte on a microfluidic chip may comprise pumping, with a main microfluidic pump, a fluid comprising an analyte particle through a main microfluidic channel fluidly coupled to a fluid slot and sorting the analyte particle within the fluid through a secondary microfluidic channel by pulling the analyte particle into the secondary microfluidic channel with a secondary microfluidic pump.

Fluid may be pumped within a microfluidic channel across a cell/particle sensor using a microscopic resistor. The microscopic resistor may be selectively actuated so as to heat the fluid within the microfluidic channel to a temperature below a nucleation energy of the fluid so as to regulate a temperature of the fluid for at least when the cell/particle sensor is sensing the fluid.

A system and method for sorting sperm is provided. The system includes a housing and a microfluidic system supported by the housing. The system also includes an inlet providing access to the microfluidic system to deliver sperm to the microfluidic system and an outlet providing access to the microfluidic system to harvest sorted sperm from the microfluidic system. The microfluidic system provides a flow path for sperm from the inlet to the outlet and includes at least one channel extending from the inlet to the outlet to allow sperm delivered to the microfluidic system through the inlet to progress along the flow path toward the outlet. The microfluidic system also includes a filter including a first plurality of micropores arranged in the flow path between the inlet and the outlet to cause sperm traveling along the flow path to move against through the filter and gravity to reach the outlet.

Systems and methods for measuring dynamic hydraulic conductivity and permeability associated with a cell layer are disclosed. Some systems include a microfluidic device, one or more working-fluid reservoirs, and one or more fluid-resistance element. The microfluidic device includes a first microchannel, a second microchannel, and a barrier therebetween. The barrier includes a cell layer adhered thereto. The working fluids are delivered to the microfluidic device. The fluid-resistance elements are coupled to one or more of the fluid paths and provide fluidic resistance to cause a pressure drop across the fluid-resistance elements. Mass transfer occurs between the first microchannel and the second microchannel, which is indicative of the hydraulic conductivity and/or dynamic permeability associated with the cells.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for improved laser speckle imaging of samples, such as vascularized tissue, for the determination of the rate of movement of light scattering particles within the sample. The system includes a structure adjoining a light source and a photo-sensitive detector. The structure can be positioned adjacent the sample (e.g., coupled to the sample) and configured to orient the light source and detector relative the sample such that surface reflections, including specular reflections and diffuse reflections, are discouraged from entering the detection field of the detector. The separation distance along the structure between the light source and the detector may further enable selective depth penetration into the sample and biased sampling of multiply scattered photons. The system includes an operably coupled processor programmed to derive contrast metrics from the detector and to relate the contrast metrics to a rate of movement of the light scattering particles.

A process for optically sorting a plurality of particles includes: providing a particle receiver; producing particles; receiving the particles by the particle receiver; receiving a light by the particle receiver; producing a standing wave optical interference pattern in an optical interference site of the particle receiver from the light; subjecting the particles to an optical gradient force from the standing wave optical interference pattern; deflecting the particles into a plurality of deflected paths to form the sorted particles from the particles; and propagating the sorted particles from the optical interference site through the deflected paths to optically sort the particles