The invention relates to a system (10) adapted to measure multiple biophysical characteristics of cells, the system (10) comprising: a microfluidic chip (12) provided with a microfluidic channel (14) which allows cells to flow through, the microfluidic channel (14) having an inlet (14a), an outlet (14b), and a lateral opening (14c) situated between the inlet (14a) and the outlet (14b); and a capacitive sensor (30) integrated in the microfluidic chip, adapted to obtain biophysical characteristics of a single cell in the microfluidic channel (14) by directly manipulating the single cell by sensor elements (31, 32) through the lateral opening (14c) of the microfluidic channel (14), the sensor (30) comprising a stationary part and an electrostatically driven movable part which is movable relative to the stationary part, the stationary part being fixed to the microfluidic chip (12), the movable part being arranged in the lateral opening (14c) of the microfluidic channel (14), wherein a portion of the sensor elements (31, 32) provides an interface between fluid and air in the system.

A microfluidic device that reads a colloidal mixture and separates the colloids based upon size and shape. and in the case of polymer colloids such as DNA, it reads patterns of markers attached to DNA. The combination of different separated fractions and DNA markers (it mapping) constitutes the physical code.

The device (100) comprises a cavity (101) and at least two microporous membranes (102), wherein the microporous membranes (102) are arranged in series in the cavity (101) and divide the cavity (101) into a plurality of chambers (1011); each of the microporous membranes (102) is provided with micropores (103), and two adjacent chambers (1011) are in communication via the micropores (103); and each of the chambers (1011) is provided with an electrode (1012).

The present disclosure provides improved systems and methods for automated cell identification/classification. More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous systems and methods for automated cell identification/classification using shearing interferometry with a digital holographic microscope. The present disclosure provides for a compact, low-cost, and field-portable 3D printed system for automatic cell identification/classification using a common path shearing interferometry with digital holographic microscopy. This system has demonstrated good results for sickle cell disease identification with human blood cells. The present disclosure provides that a robust, low cost cell identification/classification system based on shearing interferometry can be used for accurate cell identification. For example, by combining both the static features of the cell along with information on the cell motility, classification can be performed to determine the type of cell present in addition to the state of the cell (e.g., diseased vs. healthy).

A microfluidic device comprising a channel within a substrate and a condenser or a hydrodynamic focusing chamber along the channel, configured to focus a fluid containing particles of a plurality of sizes. A negative angle deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) array is configured to receive the focused fluid and separate the particles in the focused fluid into three sizes ranges. The negative angle DLD array comprises a plurality of rows of pillars, wherein the rows of pillars are positioned to repeat a pattern every N rows with a shift of M columns, N and M are relatively coprime, and N is greater than 1.

A method for measuring the concentration of a micro/nano particle, including: allowing the to-be-measured micro/nano particle to bind with one or more kinds of marker to form a new particle, the new particle having a change in at least one of particle size, charge state, and particle morphology compared with the to-be-measured micro/nano particle or the marker; measuring the particle size, charge state, or particle morphology of the new particle and the to-be-measured micro/nano particle or the marker, and counting the new particle and the to-be-measured micro/nano particle or the marker respectively to obtain their respective count results, and, on the basis of the count results, calculating the concentration of the to-be-measured micro/nano particle bound with the marker. The method of the present application has the advantages of high measurement accuracy, low measurement limit, and stability of chemical reagents.

According to the present invention there is provided a first particle sensor, a second particle sensor and a device for characterisation of one or more particles in a fluid sample comprising a first particle sensor and/or at least one second particle sensor. A method for characterising one or more particles in a fluid sample is also disclosed.

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for estimating oocyte quality. A machine learning algorithm accesses oocyte training data for a mammalian species (e.g., humans) and trains a neural network to estimate oocyte quality for the mammalian species based on the oocyte training data. The neural network accesses a microscopic image of an oocyte and identifies oocyte features of the oocyte. Based on the identified oocyte features, the neural network estimates oocyte quality, including: (a) predicting a probability of a corresponding embryo maintaining sufficient developmental competence until a specified time after fertilization and (b) predicting another probability of the corresponding embryo reaching a specific embryonic stage after fertilization. An oocyte is selected, from among a plurality of human oocytes including the human oocyte, for a potential recipient based at least in part on the oocyte quality, including based on the probability and the other probability.

A portable air quality monitoring device is disclosed that can identify the type of particles in the air. This device takes images of particles in the air and compares them with a library of particles in its memory to identify the type of particles. The device has a housing that draws ambient air into the system and takes microscopic images of the flowing particles and droplets using flash photography. The device can be stand alone or can connect to the back of a mobile phone and use the mobile phone camera and light. People can upload their local air quality data online for all to see the local air quality.

The invention is related to a method for measuring the variability of the red blood cells deformability of an individual by determining the amount of red blood cells having a tank-treading motion in a population of red blood cells from a tested blood sample of said individual, and comparing the amount to a reference amount. The determination of the amount of red blood cells having a tank-treading motion is carried out using a visualisation means such as a brightfield microscope.