The present invention relates to a low-cost, thermally reversible valve for paper-fluidic diagnostic devices. In particular, this invention demonstrates a tunable valve mechanism fabricated by wax-ink printing and localized heating via thin-film resistors to sequentially release liquids through a cellulose or nitrocellulose membrane. The wax-ink valve can obstruct fluid flow for a sustained time and are thermally actuated to release a controlled amount of liquid past the valve. This integrated paper-fluidic diagnostic assay device requires minimal user involvement, can be easily manufactured and tuned to meet various fluid delivery timing and incubation needs.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides devices and methods for sample extraction from a swab during biological sample processing. In particular embodiments, the devices and methods are configured for use in conjunction with microfluidic devices for sample processing.

Metered dispensing of a microfluidic amount of fluid from a reservoir comprises a pressure device which applies a discharge pressure for fluid ejection via a discharge line through a valve arrangement. The valve device has a first valve with a minimum closing time and a second valve with a minimum opening time. A control device provides control signals for operation for metered dispensing of the amount of fluid as follows: a shortened minimum opening time for freeing the discharge line for the fluid flow, which time is shorter than the minimum opening time of the second valve; and a shortened minimum closing time for closing the discharge line for the fluid flow, which time is shorter than the minimum closing time of the first valve. Furthermore, a hand-held device for locally piercing human or animal skin is disclosed.

A microfluidic device includes first and second substrate structures. The first substrate structure has a first substrate surface configured to receive one or more droplets. A plurality of electrodes configured to apply an electric field to the droplets. The second substrate structure has a second substrate surface facing the first substrate surface and spaced apart from the first substrate surface to form a fluid channel. The microfluidic device has a first heating element adjacent to the first substrate structure and disposed on an opposite side of the first substrate surface, and a second heating element adjacent to the second substrate structure and disposed on an opposite side of the second substrate surface. The microfluidic device further includes one or more temperature sensors disposed adjacent to the fluid channel between the first substrate structure and the second substrate structure.

The present disclosure provides an analysis device for a detection chip, an analysis system and a method of operating the analysis device. The analysis device includes a loading part, a temperature control part and a signal detection part. The loading part is configured to receive and hold the detection chip in use and is capable of moving the detection chip. The temperature control part includes a heater and a cooler, the heater is configured to heat the detection chip and the cooler is configured to cool the detection chip. The signal detection part includes an optical sensor. The optical sensor is configured to receive light from the detection chip and perform detection according to the light.

The present disclosure provides an array substrate, a microfluidic device, a microfluidic system, and a fluorescence detection method. The array substrate includes at least one recess, the array substrate is located in a plane, and a ratio of an area of an orthographic projection of the at least one recess on the plane to an area of an orthographic projection of the array substrate on the plane is between 0.05 and 0.60.

The present disclosure provides a microfluidic substrate, a microfluidic chip and a manufacturing method thereof. The microfluidic substrate includes: a first substrate; a conductive layer on the first substrate; and a defining layer on a side of the conductive layer facing away from the first substrate, the defining layer defining a concave portion; wherein the conductive layer comprises a plurality of conductive patterns corresponding to the concave portion, the plurality of conductive patterns are arranged along a first direction, each conductive pattern extends along a second direction and comprises a first end and a second end, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and each conductive pattern has a maximum local resistance value at the first end and the second end of the conductive pattern.

A system and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples, comprising: a capture plate and a capture plate module configured to facilitate binding of nucleic acids within the set of biological samples to magnetic beads; a molecular diagnostic module configured to receive nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads, isolate nucleic acids, and analyze nucleic acids, comprising a cartridge receiving module, a heating/cooling subsystem and a magnet configured to facilitate isolation of nucleic acids, a valve actuation subsystem configured to control fluid flow through a microfluidic cartridge for processing nucleic acids, and an optical subsystem for analysis of nucleic acids; a fluid handling system configured to deliver samples and reagents to components of the system to facilitate molecular diagnostic protocols; and an assay strip configured to combine nucleic acid samples with molecular diagnostic reagents for analysis of nucleic acids.

A reaction processor is provided with a reaction processing vessel having a channel, a liquid feeding system, a temperature control system, and a fluorescence detector, and a CPU for controlling the liquid feeding system. When a sample moves from a low temperature region to a high temperature region, the CPU instructs the liquid feeding system to stop the sample when a predetermined first waiting time has passed from the time when the passage of the sample through a fluorescence detection region is detected by the fluorescence detector. When the sample moves from the high temperature region to the low temperature region, the CPU instructs the liquid feeding system to stop the sample when a predetermined second waiting time, which is set independently of the first waiting time, has passed from the time when the passage of the sample through the fluorescence detection region is detected by the fluorescence detector.

A device and a driving method for driving a microfluidic chip are disclosed. The device for driving a microfluidic chip includes a carrying member configured to carry the microfluidic chip; a releasing member configured to electrically connected to the microfluidic chip, and control the release of the reagent of the microfluidic chip a valve control member configured to control the opening and closing of the flow channel in the valve control area of the microfluidic chip when the valve control area is within the valve control range of the valve control member a fluid driving member configured to drive the flow of fluid in the microfluidic chip, and a controller configured to control the driving process of the microfluidic chip.