A portable vaporizing device and/or cartridge comprises a product chamber capable of holding a vaporizable product therein, and a porous valve element configured to be heated to flow the vaporizable product therethrough and generate vapor from the vaporizable product, and optionally including a heat transfer element to heat the vaporizable product as it flows through the product chamber towards the porous valve element.

A fluidic system having a first volume, a second volume and a membrane geometrically separating the two volumes, which has an open-pore microstructure for the passage of a first medium and a second medium. There is a contact angle (Θ) between the interface of the media and the pore surface. A first electrical field in the region of the membrane and a first electromagnetic radiation and a first heating of the membrane define a first state (Z.sub.1), in which the membrane is not wetted or is less wetted by the first medium and is more heavily wetted by the second medium such that a first contact angle Θ.sub.1>90° is formed between the pore surface and the interface. The first medium and the second medium and the pore surface have a surface energy of which at least one surface energy can be reversibly changed in such a way that a second contact angle Θ.sub.2<Θ.sub.1 occurs between the pore surface and the interface in a second state (Z.sub.2).

A passive microfluidic valve includes a first manifold portion having a first chamber; a first inlet fluidly coupled to the first chamber; and a second inlet. The valve also includes a second manifold portion in fluid communication with the first chamber via a channel. The second manifold portion includes a second chamber fluidly coupled to the first chamber and the second inlet. The valve further includes a flexible membrane disposed between the first manifold portion and the second manifold portion and separating the first chamber and the second chamber, the flexible membrane configured to modulate a flow rate of a media flowing between the first inlet and the second inlet in either direction in response to pressure of the media flow.

A passive microfluidic valve includes a first manifold portion having a first chamber; a first inlet fluidly coupled to the first chamber; and a second inlet. The valve also includes a second manifold portion in fluid communication with the first chamber via a channel. The second manifold portion includes a second chamber fluidly coupled to the first chamber and the second inlet. The valve further includes a flexible membrane disposed between the first manifold portion and the second manifold portion and separating the first chamber and the second chamber, the flexible membrane configured to modulate a flow rate of a media flowing between the first inlet and the second inlet in either direction in response to pressure of the media flow.

A portable vaporizing device and/or cartridge comprises a product chamber capable of holding a vaporizable product therein, and a porous valve element configured to be heated to flow the vaporizable product therethrough and generate vapor from the vaporizable product, and optionally including a heat transfer element to heat the vaporizable product as it flows through the product chamber towards the porous valve element.

A portable vaporizing device and/or cartridge comprises a product chamber capable of holding a vaporizable product therein, and a porous valve element configured to be heated to flow the vaporizable product therethrough and generate vapor from the vaporizable product, and optionally including a heat transfer element to heat the vaporizable product as it flows through the product chamber towards the porous valve element.

A flow control device comprises a laminate structure of an electroactive material layer and a non-actuatable layer. An array of orifices is formed in one of the layers wherein the orifices are open in one of the rest state and actuated state and the orifices are closed in the other of the rest state and actuated state. Actuation of the electroactive material layer causes orifices to open and close so that flow control function may be implemented.

The disclosed computer-implemented method may include a fluidic device comprising a chamber, an inlet port coupled to the chamber and configured to convey fluid to the chamber, and an outlet port coupled to the chamber and configured to convey the fluid from the chamber. The fluidic device may also have a restricting region that (1) is dimensioned to restrict a flow of the fluid through the outlet port when the pressure in the chamber is below a threshold level and (2) is configured to move in a manner that allows a flow rate of the fluid through the outlet port to increase when pressure in the chamber reaches the threshold level.

A microfluidic valve provided herein is configured to mix or capable of mixing a sample and/or a reagent in addition to controlling liquid flow. In one embodiment, the microfluidic valve comprises a rotor (3) and one or more micro-structures (2) that move with the rotation of the rotor (3). In one embodiment, the one or more micro-structures (2) stir and/or mix content in a mixing chamber (5) formed by the rotor (3), a base (1), and a sleeve (4) of the microfluidic valve. A microfluidic chip or chip system comprising one or more of the microfluidic valves, and methods of use, are also provided.

A three-way (3-way) Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based micro-valve device and method of fabrication for the implementation of a three-way MEMS-based micro-valve are disclosed. The micro-valve device has a wide range of applications, including medical, industrial control, aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics and products, as well as any application(s) requiring the use of three-way micro-valves for the control of fluids. The discloses three-way micro-valve device and method of fabrication that can be tailored to the requirements of a wide range of applications and fluid types, and can also use a number of different actuation methods, including actuation methods that have very small actuation pressures and energy densities even at higher fluidic pressures. This is enabled by a novel pressure-balancing scheme, wherein the fluid pressure balances the actuator mechanism so that only a small amount of actuation pressure (or force) is needed to switch the state of the actuator and device from open to closed, or closed to open.