Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to the flow of analytes, particles or other materials. As consistent with one or more embodiments described herein, an apparatus includes a membrane having one or more pores in a membrane. First and second electrodes facilitate electrophoretic flow of analytes through the pore, and a third electrode controls movement of the particles in the pore by modulating the shape of an electric double layer adjacent sidewalls of pore. This modulation controls the strength of an electroosmotic field that opposes the electrophoretic flow of the analytes via the pore.

Micro-valve system includes two or more superimposed tubes and a pressing device for fluid control in miniaturized capillary connections. The micro-valve system and method of fabrication can be tailored to the requirements of a wide range of applications; composition, sturdiness and thickness of plastic tubes; and capable of been adapted to the resilient of mechanical pressure and the passing and transport of fluid types.

An example microfluidic device includes a microfluidic network through which operational fluid is to flow and a droplet ejector. The microfluidic device includes a drive fluid storage volume to contain drive fluid, the drive fluid storage volume connected in series between the microfluidic network and the droplet ejector. When the drive fluid is ejected from the droplet ejector, the operational fluid is drawn through the microfluidic network.

The present disclosure provides a microfluidic chip, including: a support and an NFC coil in the support, and a flow path is provided in the support and is isolated from the NFC coil; the flow path includes at least one detection window region with a stationary phase therein, and the stationary phase is used to specifically capture a target analyte, the detection window region at least partially overlaps with the NFC coil in a thickness direction of the support. The present disclosure further provides a detection method of the microfluidic chip and a micro total analysis system. The present disclosure can quickly and immediately obtain a detection result.

A method comprises magnetically holding a bead carrying biological material (e.g., nucleic acid, which may be in the form of DNA fragments or amplified DNA) in a specific location of a substrate, and applying an electric field local to the bead to isolate the biological material or products or byproducts of reactions of the biological material. For example, the bead is isolated from other beads having associated biological material. The electric field in various embodiments concentrates reagents for an amplification or sequencing reaction, and/or concentrates and isolates detectable reaction by-products. For example, by isolating nucleic acids around individual beads, the electric field can allow for clonal amplification, as an alternative to emulsion PCR. In other embodiments, the electric field isolates a nanosensor proximate to the bead, to facilitate detection of at least one of local pH change, local conductivity change, local charge concentration change and local heat. The beads may be trapped in the form of an array of localized magnetic field regions.

A test device is configured for diagnostic testing and includes an optical readable medium, in turn including a pattern of spots of material arranged on a surface of the device. Several patterns may be provided. The patterns accordingly formed may be human and/or machine readable. They may notably encode security information, e.g., indicating whether the device has already been used. The spots may notably be inkjet spotted. In addition, a method is provided for decoding information encoded in a pattern of such a test device. In embodiments, liquid is introduced in the device, which comprises additional spots having a substantially different solubility than spots forming the actual pattern. Thus, the additional spots get solubilized in and flushed by the liquid as the latter wets them, and an initially hidden pattern may be read, which is formed of the remaining spots (not solubilized). Encoding methods are also provided.

The disclosure relates to the routing of droplet control signals in a digital microfluidic device. The digital microfluidic devices can comprise a first substrate having droplet control electrodes in one layer and at least some droplet control signal lines in another layer, and these two layers are separated by a layer of dielectric material patterned with VIAs. At least some of the electrodes and control signal lines are electrically connected through the VIAs. A second dielectric layer is deposited on the first substrate to cover at least some of the droplet control electrodes. Droplets may then be operated using electrowetting, dielectrophoresis, or other electrostatic mechanisms by applying voltages to the desired electrodes.

A device that includes an integrated device and a heat dissipating device coupled to the integrated device. The heat dissipating device includes an electro-osmotic (EO) pump. The electro-osmotic (EO) pump includes a casing comprising a first opening and a second opening; a membrane located in the casing; an anode electrode; a cathode electrode; and a catalyst layer formed on a surface of the membrane. The membrane includes a plurality of channels. The electro-osmotic (EO) pump is configured to provide a fluid to flow from the first opening of the casing, through the plurality of channels of the membrane and out of the second opening of the casing. The catalyst layer is configured to recombine gas ions that are produced by the electro-osmotic (EO) pump.

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a system for detecting a target analyte which includes a microfluidic device having least one microfluidic channel with a binding surface positioned in the microfluidic channel with further include a first electrode and a second electrode. The system may further include a detector and a voltage supply. Also included is a method to detect a target analyte using a described microfluidics device, introducing solution with a target analyte to a binding surface, and binding the target analyte to the binding surface by applying an electrical potential between the first and second electrodes during at least a portion of the binding step, which enhances the rate of binding of the target analyte molecules to the binding molecules. The method then includes the steps of detecting a reporter molecule which corresponds to the amount of the bound target analyte molecules, which correlates with the amount of target analyte in the original sample. The method may also include multiple applications of sample to the binding surface prior to the detection step.

A microfluidic chip for collecting dielectric particles in a fluid sample to be tested includes an insulating substrate, a first interdigitated electrode, a second interdigitated electrode, and a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is formed on the first and second interdigitated electrodes and is made from a semiconductive inorganic material having a dielectric constant of from 3.7 F/m to 80 F/m.