The present disclosure provides a chip, a microfluidic device including the chip, and a method for sorting target droplets. The chip includes a first container for accommodating a first fluid, a second container for accommodating a second fluid, a delivery channel including a first flow channel communicating with the first container and a second flow channel communicating with the second container, the first flow channel and the second flow channel intersecting and communicating with each other at a junction, and at least one collector. A portion of the first flow channel includes the junction and is divided into two sections by the junction, in each section, the section thickens gradually along a first direction away from the junction. The second flow channel includes the junction and is divided into two sections by the junction, in each section, the section thickens gradually along a second direction away from the junction.

Disclosed in one aspect is a method for performing a complete blood count (CBC) on a sample of whole blood by metering a predetermined amount of the whole blood and mixing it with a predetermined amount of diluent and stain and transferring a portion thereof to an imaging chamber of fixed dimensions and utilizing an automated microscope with digital camera and cell counting and recognition software to count every white blood cell and red blood corpuscle and platelet in the sample diluent/stain mixture to determine the number of red cells, white cells, and platelets per unit volume, and analyzing the white cells with cell recognition software to classify them.

A flow control and processing cartridge includes a cartridge body and a reaction chip. The cartridge body includes plural first chambers and plural first channels for storing and processing at least one of a sample, a reagent and a buffer and configured to perform nucleic acid extraction. The reaction chip is in conjunction with the cartridge body and includes plural second chambers and plural second channels configured to store and process an amplification reaction solution, and at least two fluidic networks configured to perform nucleic acid amplification and detection. One of the fluidic networks includes plural detection wells, a main fluid channel connected with the detection wells and configured to dispense the sample or control liquids into the detection wells, and a gas releasing channel connected with the detection wells and configured to release gas from the detection wells, wherein one of the fluidic networks is configured for quality control.

A device for detecting nucleic acids in a biological sample has a sample port, a lysis station and a sample conduit configured to mix a sample and lysis agent to form a sample-lysis mixture, pass the sample-lysis mixture across a solid-state membrane to capture nucleic acids in the biological sample therein, and receive the remainder of the sample-lysis mixture in a waste chamber. The wash station is configured to introduce the wash solution following the sample-lysis mixture, pass the wash solution across the solid-state membrane to purify nucleic acids captured therein, and receive the wash solution from the solid-state membrane in the waste chamber. The elution station is configured to pass the eluent across the solid-state membrane, elute captured nucleic acids from the solid-state membrane, and pass the captured nucleic acids into one or more reaction chambers for amplifying and detecting the captured nucleic acids.

Systems and methods for rapid determination of microorganism growth and antimicrobial agent susceptibility and/or resistance are disclosed.

Methods are provided for separating magnetically responsive beads from a droplet in a droplet actuator. Droplet operations electrodes and a magnet are arranged in a droplet actuator to manipulate a bead-containing droplet and position it relative to a magnetic field region that attracts the magnetically responsive beads. The droplet operations electrodes are operated to control the droplet shape and transport it away from the magnetic field region to form a concentration of beads in the droplet. The continued transport of the droplet away from the magnetic field causes the concentration of beads to break away from the droplet to yield a small, concentrated bead-containing droplet immobilized by the magnet.

The disclosure describes methods and devices with which to process and analyze difficult chemical, biological, environmental samples including but not limited to those containing bulk solids or particulates. The disclosure includes a cartridge which contains a separation tube as well as one or more valves and cavities for receiving raw sample materials and for directing and containing various fluids or samples. The cartridge may contain a separation fluid or density medium of defined density, and structures which direct particulates toward defined regions of the cartridge. Embodiments can include a rotational device for rotating the cartridge at defined rotational rates for defined time intervals. Embodiments allowing multiple assays from a single sample are also disclosed. In some embodiments, this device is used for direct processing and chemical analysis of food, soil, blood, stool, motor oil, semen, and other samples of interest.

Described herein are digital microfluidic (DMF) devices and corresponding methods for managing reagent solution evaporation during a reaction. Reactions on the DMF devices described here are performed in an air or gas matrix. The DMF devices include a means for performing reactions at different temperatures. To address the issue of evaporation of the reaction droplet especially when the reaction is performed at higher temperatures, a means for introducing a replenishing droplet has been incorporated into the DMF device. A replenishing droplet is introduced every time when it has been determined that the reaction droplet has fallen below a threshold volume. Detection and monitoring of the reaction droplet may be through visual, optical, fluorescence, colorimetric, and/or electrical means.

The invention provides a device for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample. The device comprises a receiving chamber for receiving an absorbent element, wherein the absorbent element is used for collecting a liquid sample; and a detection chamber configured to receive a testing element, wherein the testing element is set to test an analyte in a liquid sample, the receiving chamber is provided with a first position and a second position, when the receiving chamber is located at the first position, the receiving chamber is not in fluid communication with the detection chamber, and when the receiving chamber is located at the second position, the receiving chamber is in fluid communication with the detection chamber.

A microfluidic device comprising a plurality of microreactors is provided. Each microreactor includes at least a first inlet and a second inlet for supplying a first fluid and a second fluid, respectively, to said microreactor and at least one waste channel for draining fluid from said microreactor. The device further comprises a shared first microfluidic supply system for supplying a first fluid to the first inlets of the plurality of microreactors, a shared second microfluidic supply system for supplying a second fluid to the second inlets of the plurality of microreactors. At least one of said inlets to each microreactor comprises at least one valve-less fluidic resistance element having a fluidic resistance that is substantially larger than the fluidic resistance of the corresponding shared microfluidic supply system. A chemical reaction sequencer apparatus including the microfluidic device and a method for supplying reagents to a plurality of microreactors are also provided.