Provided is an integrated microfluidic device for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Also provided is a method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 by using the same, comprising viral lysis, RNA extraction, and reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). The integrated microfluidic device of the present disclosure is small in size, automatically operatable, and easy to use by ordinary people, and the present disclosure can achieve rapid detection with high sensitivity and specificity.

A fluidic coupler to engage a plurality of flow cells of a sensor device includes a body and a plurality of fluidics interfaces formed in the body. Each fluidic interface of the plurality of fluidics interfaces includes an opening, a first port in fluid communication with the opening, a second port, and a third port in fluidic communication with the second port.

The present invention provides self-contained systems for performing an assay for determining a chemical state, the system including a stationary cartridge for performing the assay therein, at least one reagent adapted to react with a sample; and at least one reporter functionality adapted to report a reaction of the at least one reagent with said sample to report a result of the assay, wherein the at least one reagent, the sample and the at least one reporter functionality are contained within the cartridge.

A point-of-care diagnostic system that includes a cartridge and a reader. The cartridge can contain a patient sample, such as a blood sample. The cartridge is inserted into the reader and the patient sample is analyzed. The reader contains various analysis systems, such as an electrophoresis detection system that uses electrophoresis testing to identify and quantify various components of the blood sample. The reader can process data from the various patient sample analysis to provide interpretative results indicative of a disorder, condition, disease and/or infection of the patient.

Function fabrication in a microfluidic device manufactured with a custom 3D printer. The functions may include, for example, transporting or routing fluid, fluid mixing through flow and/or diffusion, blocking fluid (valve), pumping fluid, providing chemical reaction regions, providing analyte capture regions, and providing analyte separation regions. The fluid may be a liquid or a gas.

A microfluidic apparatus is provided that includes a thermoelectrically-activated pixel array, a microfluidic chip, and control circuitry. The pixel array may include a plurality of thermal pixels, with each thermal pixel including a thermoelectric device. The microfluidic chip may include a microfluidic channel disposed adjacent to the thermal pixels such that thermal energy generated by the thermal pixels is received by the microfluidic channel to form a localized spot within the microfluidic channel corresponding to each thermal pixel. The control circuitry may be electrically coupled to each of the thermal pixels and configured to control the thermal energy being generated by each thermal pixel to control a temperature at each localized spot within the microfluidic channel.

The present inventive concept relates to a microfluidic system for pressure-assisted capillary-driven flowing of a liquid. The system comprises: a first sub-system comprising a capillary flow channel, having a first flow resistance, arranged to receive the liquid and to flow the liquid along the capillary flow channel; a second sub-system comprising a pressure-assisting flow channel, having a second flow resistance, arranged to receive the liquid from the capillary flow channel, and to provide a pressure-assisted flow of the liquid in a direction away from the capillary flow channel; and a capillary valve, having a third flow resistance, comprising a capillary portion, wherein the capillary portion at a first end is connected to an interface between the capillary flow channel and the pressure-assisting flow channel, and at a second end is communicating with gaseous medium. The first flow resistance is larger than the third flow resistance, and the second flow resistance is larger than the third flow resistance, such that the liquid is flowing predominantly by capillary action in the capillary flow channel until a forefront of the liquid has reached the interface with the pressure-assisting flow channel, and by pressure-assisted capillary action after the forefront of the liquid has reached the interface with the pressure-assisted flow channel The present inventive concept further relates to a diagnostic device and a lab-on-a-chip device, comprising the microfluidic system.

An apparatus is provided for sensing a molecule in a sample. The apparatus utilizes an electric field to draw molecules from a first chamber through an aperture, defined by a chemical layer, into a second chamber. The apparatus can detect a DNA molecule with, for example, 4, 5, or 6 unique base pairs. As molecules pass through the aperture, a sensor detects or measures a change in an electric parameter used to generate the electric field, thereafter translating the change in the electric parameter into information about the molecule. A divider element separates the first and second chambers and supports a chemical layer defining the aperture. The apparatus enables detection or measurement of molecules over prolonged time at a higher electric field strength than other nanopores, due to a combination of the shape of the divider, structural elements thereon, and thickness of the chemical layer at the aperture.

A method is provided to measure viscosity of an analyte using a microfluidic piezoelectric sensor including a channel on an active area of a piezoelectric resonator substrate. The microfluidic piezoelectric sensor is driven so that the active area of the piezoelectric resonator substrate generates shear motion in a direction of shear motion displacement that is parallel with respect to a first surface of the piezoelectric resonator substrate. A high shear-rate viscosity of the analyte is determined based on a shift in resonance of the microfluidic piezoelectric sensor while driving the microfluidic piezoelectric sensor with the analyte in the channel. A low shear-rate viscosity of the analyte is determined by detecting flow of the analyte through the channel based on tracking shifts in resonance of the microfluidic piezoelectric sensor. Related sensors are also discussed.

The invention provides a viscometer and an operation method thereof. The viscometer comprises a disk and at least one microfluidic structure. The microfluidic structure is embedded in the disk and has a first chamber which is connected to a second chamber. The second chamber is provided with an annular chamber along the circumferential direction of the disk and comprises at least one indicator. Overall, the present viscometer and its operation method do utilize the oscillation amplitude of pendulum motion of the indicator to calculate a viscosity value (cP) of a sample which has already existed in the second chamber.