The present application provides a digital microfluidic device. The digital microfluidic device includes a base substrate; and an electrode array including a plurality of discrete electrodes continuously arranged on the base substrate. The plurality of discrete electrodes can be grouped into a plurality of first electrode groups, each of which including a plurality of directly adjacent discrete electrodes. The plurality of discrete electrodes can be alternatively grouped into a plurality of second electrode groups, each of which including a plurality of directly adjacent discrete electrodes.

The present disclosure describes systems and methods for versatile acoustic tweezer trapping and transport configurations. Examples can use ultrasound for contact-free, biocompatible, and precise manipulation of particles from millimeter to sub-micrometer scale along a narrow and complex path. Examples include spatially complex particle trapping and manipulation inside a boundary-free chamber using a single pair of sources and a shadow waveguide. The shadow waveguide structure can be disposed just outside a microfluidic chamber to guide and control the acoustic wave fields inside the chamber. The shadow waveguide can create a tightly confined, spatially complex acoustic field inside the chamber without an interior structure that could interfere with net flow or transport.

An electrowetting system is disclosed. The system includes electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space. Each electrode is coupled to circuitry operative to selectively apply a driving voltage to the electrode. The system includes a dielectric stack including a first dielectric pair comprising a first layer having a first dielectric constant and a second layer having a second dielectric constant. The second dielectric constant is larger than the first dielectric constant. The dielectric stack includes a second dielectric pair comprising a third layer having a third dielectric constant and a fourth layer having a fourth dielectric constant. The fourth dielectric constant is larger than the third dielectric constant. A ratio of a thickness of the fourth layer to a thickness of the third layer (T.sub.4:T.sub.3) is in the range from about 2:1 to about 8:1. The second dielectric pair is thinner than the first dielectric pair.

A device comprising: a first zone comprising an attachment site; a first pathway; a second pathway and a means for creating a second medium comprised of aqueous microdroplets in a carrier; a microdroplet manipulation zone comprising: a first composite wall comprised of a first transparent substrate; a first transparent conductor layer on the substrate; a photoactive layer activated by electromagnetic radiation; and a first dielectric layer on the conductor layer; a second composite wall comprised of a second substrate; a second conductor layer on the substrate; and optionally a second dielectric layer on the conductor layer; an A/C source; a source of first electromagnetic radiation; means for manipulating the points of impingement of the electromagnetic radiation on the photoactive layer; an detection zone disposed downstream of the microdroplet manipulation zone or integral therewith; and a fluorescence or Raman-scattering detection system.

Air-matrix digital microfluidics (DMF) apparatuses and methods of using them to prevent or limit evaporation and surface fouling of the DMF apparatus. In particular, described herein are air-matrix DMF apparatuses and methods of using them including thermally controllable regions with a wax material that may be used to selectively encapsulate a reaction droplet in the air gap of the apparatus; additional aqueous droplets may be combined with the encapsulated droplet even after separating from the wax, despite residual wax coating, by merging with an aqueous droplet having a coating of a secondary material (e.g., an oil or other hydrophobic material) that may remove the wax from the droplet and/or allow combining of the droplets.

An electrowetting panel includes a base substrate; an electrode array layer, including a plurality of electrodes arranged into an array; an insulating hydrophobic layer; a microfluidic channel layer located on the base substrate. Each electrode of the plurality of electrodes is connected to a driving circuit, and a droplet can move along a first direction by applying an electric voltage on each electrode. The insulating hydrophobic layer is located on the electrode array layer, and the microfluidic channel layer is located on the insulating hydrophobic layer. The electrodes includes a plurality of driving electrodes and a plurality of detecting electrodes. Along the first direction, a number N of the driving electrodes is located between every two adjacent detecting electrodes, where N is a natural number. The electrowetting panel also includes a detecting chip electrically connected to the detecting electrodes.

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.

A microfluidic apparatus, a driving method, and a formation method are provided in the present disclosure. The apparatus includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate are both smooth substrates. An electrode array layer is on a side of the first substrate; and a second electrode layer is on a side of the second substrate. The electrode array layer at least includes a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. The first substrate includes a first region and a second region; the plurality of first electrodes is in the first region; and the plurality of second electrode is in the second region. A distance between the first substrate and the second substrate in the first region is D1 is greater than a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate in the second region is D2.

Provided is a micro-fluidic chip, including a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other. A liquid storage cavity is formed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a liquid inlet hole penetrating through the first substrate in a thickness direction is formed in the first substrate. The first substrate includes a first electrode layer and a hydrophobic layer that are sequentially disposed in the thickness direction of the first substrate, and the first electrode layer is on a surface of the hydrophobic layer away from the second substrate. The second substrate includes an adjustment layer and a second electrode layer that are sequentially disposed in a thickness direction of the second substrate, and the second electrode layer is on a surface of the adjustment layer away from the first substrate. A micro-fluidic system and a control method of the micro-fluidic chip are also provided.

Novel methods for detecting circulating stromal cells are provided. The methods comprise the steps of incubating a sample, and comparing the pH and/or concentration of at least one molecule selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, lactate ions, and pyruvate ions, determined for the incubated volume to the pH and/or concentration of said at least one molecule, within said sample, wherein a decrease in pH and/or an increase in concentration of said at least one molecule, indicates said at least one circulating stromal cell is present in said sample.