A system, mixing-enhanced microfluidic container, and methods for small volume sample collection and/or analysis is disclosed. Namely, the invention is directed to a small volume sample collection system that includes a mixing-enhanced microfluidic container and a durable reusable actuation chuck. The mixing-enhanced microfluidic container is used to collect small volumes of sample fluid and includes a means for mixing the sample fluid with reagents disposed within the microfluidic container. The mixing means utilize an array of surface-attached structures (e.g., a micropost array). The application of an “actuation force,” such as a magnetic or electric field, actuates the surface-attached structures into movement, wherein the actuation chuck in close proximity to the mixing-enhanced microfluidic container provides the “actuation force.”

A sensing system is disclosed. The sensing system includes a sensor cartridge and a readout device. The sensor cartridge includes a sensing device and a micro-channel-structure. The sensing device includes a chip member and an electrode member arranged projectively offset from each other.

A microfluidic sealing valve 1 comprises a primary channel 2, a valve channel 4, and a geometry that permits liquid in the primary channel 2 to flow into the valve channel 4 through an inlet 5. Liquid in the primary channel 2 is inhibited from flowing through a first port 8 into the void volume 7. A meniscus 9 moved by a flow of liquid in the primary channel 2 is restrained at the first port 8. A flow of liquid through the primary channel 2 generates a capillary force that causes the flow of liquid to flow into the valve channel 4. A capillary force generated by the flow of liquid through the valve channel 4 causes the meniscus 9 to expand from the first port 8 into the primary channel, to inhibit flow of liquid in the primary channel 2 past the first port 8.

Disclosed herein is a novel method of producing monodisperse aqueous droplets, as well as a novel microfluidic droplet generator. In some examples, the method comprises flowing an aqueous solution through a microchannel and into a sample reservoir of the microfluidic droplet generator, wherein monodisperse droplets of the aqueous solution form by step-emulsification at a step change in height at an intersection of a reservoir end of the microchannel and a sidewall of the sample reservoir. In some examples, the aqueous solution is a hydrogel precursor solution and monodisperse droplets of the hydrogel precursor solution form by step-emulsification at the step change in height at the intersection of the reservoir end of the microchannel and the sidewall of the sample reservoir. In some examples, the monodisperse droplets of the hydrogel precursor solution are incubated under conditions suitable for gelation to form hydrogel beads.

A microfluidic device comprising a plurality of microreactors is provided. Each microreactor includes at least a first inlet and a second inlet for supplying a first fluid and a second fluid, respectively, to said microreactor and at least one waste channel for draining fluid from said microreactor. The device further comprises a shared first microfluidic supply system for supplying a first fluid to the first inlets of the plurality of microreactors, a shared second microfluidic supply system for supplying a second fluid to the second inlets of the plurality of microreactors. At least one of said inlets to each microreactor comprises at least one valve-less fluidic resistance element having a fluidic resistance that is substantially larger than the fluidic resistance of the corresponding shared microfluidic supply system. A chemical reaction sequencer apparatus including the microfluidic device and a method for supplying reagents to a plurality of microreactors are also provided.

A microfluidics device has one or more bubble diversion regions. Problems associated with the generation of air bubbles are avoided in a microfluidics device such as a cartridge, for use with a point of care (POC) diagnostics device, the cartridge being able to carry out downstream processing such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or nucleic acid capture. The bubble diversion region has a lower flow resistance than the flow resistance of an area of interest.

Some embodiments of a micro-fluidic device include at least one inlet hole located on an inlet side of the microfluidic device, the inlet hole consisting of a plurality of holes with diameters smaller in size than a diameter of the at least one inlet hole, at least one outlet hole located on an outlet side of the microfluidic device opposite the inlet side; and a micro-channel, where the plurality of holes are connected to the micro-channel.

The present invention is directed to methods, compositions and devices useful for the detection and/or quantification of a microbial contaminant, including an endotoxin. In embodiments, cartridges are provided that suitably include dried compositions that are useful in absorbance-based assays and in combination with portable readers/devices.

A MEMS-based particle manipulation system which uses a particle manipulation stage and a plurality of laser interrogation regions. The laser interrogation regions may be used to assess the effectiveness or accuracy of the particle manipulation stage. In one exemplary embodiment, the particle manipulation stage is a microfabricated, flap-type fluid valve, which sorts a target particle from non-target particles in a fluid stream. The laser interrogation stages are disposed in the microfabricated fluid channels at the input and output of the flap-type sorting valve. The laser interrogation regions may be used to assess the effectiveness or accuracy of the sorting, and to control or adjust sort parameters during the sorting process. One or more feedback loops may be used to improve the particle manipulation process, based on data acquired during the first interrogation and/or during a downstream confirmation. Artificial intelligence techniques may be used to good effect.

The microfluidic device capable of initiating sequential flow according to the present invention includes: a main flow path in which a suction port for sucking the fluid with a negative pressure is formed at one end; a plurality of reservoirs that supply a fluid stored therein to the main flow path through an outlet by the negative pressure applied to the suction port, and are connected to a plurality of different points of the main flow path; and a blocking element that blocks the inflow of external air to the main flow path through the outlet when all the fluid in the reservoir flows out, wherein the fluid stored in a plurality of the reservoirs may flow sequentially.