Provided herein are microfluidic circuits that include at least one device for forming a quantity of drops of a solution in a carrier fluid and at least one storage zone for storing drops produced by the microfluidic device. Such microfluidic circuits are useful, for example, for the analysis of a solution containing a biological sample.

Single-sided optoelectrowetting (SSOEW)-configured substrates are provided, as well as microfluidic devices that include such substrates. The substrates can include a planar electrode, a photoconductive (or photosensitive) layer, a dielectric layer (single-layer or composite), a mesh electrode, and a hydrophobic coating. Fluid droplets can be moved across the hydrophobic coating of such substrates in a light-actuated manner, upon the application of a suitable AC voltage potential across the substrate and the focusing of light into the photoconductive layer of the substrate in a location proximal to the droplets. Walls can be disposed upon the substrates to form the microfluidic devices. Together the walls and substrate can form a microfluidic circuit, through which droplets can be moved.

An AM-EWOD device comprises: first and second substrates (72,36); first and second array element electrodes (38A, 38B) disposed on the first substrate (72) and defining first and second array elements in the AM-EWOD device; a reference electrode (28) disposed on the first substrate (72); a sensor; and a reference electrode drive circuit (50). The reference electrode drive circuit (50) is configured to drive the reference electrode with a first voltage waveform for actuating an array element or with a second voltage waveform different from the first voltage waveform when performing a sensing operation.

Disclosed are a microfluid detection device, system and method, a processing device and a storage medium, in the field of biochemistry. The device includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, and a microfluid chamber between the first substrate and the second substrate; wherein the first substrate has a plurality of photoelectric sensors and an output circuit, each of the photoelectric sensors is configured to convert an optical signal passing through the second substrate and the microfluid chamber to an electrical signal, and the output circuit is configured to output the electrical signal obtained by the photoelectric sensor.

Methods of concentrating beads in a droplet and/or loading beads on a fluidic device are provided, including among other things, a method of concentrating beads in a droplet, the method comprising: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) an interior droplet operations volume; and (ii) a reservoir exterior to the interior volume; (iii) a droplet established in a liquid path extending from the reservoir into the interior volume; (b) providing magnetically responsive beads in the portion of the droplet which is in the reservoir; (c) magnetically attracting the magnetically responsive beads through the liquid path into the portion of the droplet which is in the interior volume; and (d) forming a droplet comprising one or more of the magnetically responsive beads in the interior volume.

A device and a method for isolating a target from a biological sample are provided. The target is bound to solid phase substrate to form target bound solid phase substrate. The device includes a lower plate with an upper surface having a plurality of regions. The biological sample is receivable on a first of the regions. An upper plate has a lower surface directed to the upper surface of the lower plate. A force is positioned adjacent the upper plate and attracts the target bound solid phase substrate toward the lower surface of the upper plate. At least one of the upper plate and the lower plate is movable from a first position wherein the target bound solid phase substrate in the biological sample are drawn to the lower surface of the upper plate and a second position wherein the target bound solid phase substrate are isolated from the biological sample.

A method of operating an EWOD device to employs a magnetic field to separate magnetically responsive particles from a polar liquid droplet. The method includes the steps of dispensing a liquid droplet onto an element array of the EWOD device, wherein the liquid droplet includes magnetically responsive particles; performing an electrowetting operation to move the liquid droplet along the element array to a location relative to a magnet element in proximity to that location of the EWOD device; operating the magnet element to apply a magnetic field to the liquid droplet, wherein at least a portion of the magnetically responsive particles aggregate within the liquid droplet in response to the magnetic field; and separating the aggregated magnetically responsive particles from the liquid droplet with the magnetic field, wherein the aggregated magnetically responsive particles move in response to the magnetic field to a location on the element array in proximity to the magnet element. Embodiments of the methods of the present application may be performed by an EWOD control system executing program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium.

According to an aspect, there is provided an apparatus for sputum conditioning and analysis. The apparatus comprises: a microfluidic device configured to receive a sputum sample and to separate the sputum sample into a plurality of droplets; a biosensor configured to analyze each of a predetermined number of droplets of the plurality of droplets to acquire measurements of a characteristic of each droplet of the predetermined number of droplets; and a processor configured to analyze the acquired measurements to determine a characteristic of the sputum.

Disclosed is a device for moving a liquid in a substantially loss-free operation, the device made of at least a photothermal film; a pyroelectric crystal over the photothermal film; and a superomniphobic surface over the pyroelectric crystal, wherein the device is configured to move the liquid in the substantially loss-free operation with a beam of light.

A cartridge configured to control and manipulate liquids and to be positioned at a cartridge accommodation site of a digital microfluidics system is disclosed. The digital microfluidics system has a number or array of individual electrodes attached to a first substrate or PCB, a central control unit in operative contact with individual electrodes for controlling selection and for providing a number of individual electrodes that define a path of individual electrodes with voltage for manipulating liquid portions or liquid droplets by electrowetting, and a cartridge accommodation site that is configured for taking up the cartridge.