Getting started with open‐hardware: Development and control of microfluidic devices

Abstract

Understanding basic concepts of electronics and computer programming allows researchers to get the most out of the equipment found in their laboratories. Although a number of platforms have been specifically designed for the general public and are supported by a vast array of on-line tutorials, this subject is not normally included in university chemistry curricula. Aiming to provide the basic concepts of hardware and software, this article is focused on the design and use of a simple module to control a series of PDMS-based valves. The module is based on a low-cost microprocessor (Teensy) and open-source software (Arduino). The microvalves were fabricated using thin sheets of PDMS and patterned using CO2 laser engraving, providing a simple and efficient way to fabricate devices without the traditional photolithographic process or facilities. Synchronization of valve control enabled the development of two simple devices to perform injection (1.6 ± 0.4 μL/stroke) and mixing of different solutions. Furthermore, a practical demonstration of the utility of this system for microscale chemical sample handling and analysis was achieved performing an on-chip acid-base titration, followed by conductivity detection with an open-source low-cost detection system. Overall, the system provided a very reproducible (98%) platform to perform fluid delivery at the microfluidic scale.

A microfluidic optical platform for real-time monitoring of pH and oxygen in microfluidic bioreactors and organ-on-chip devices

“…51 Arduino board with its associated integrated software environment provides a cost-effective yet powerful opensource platform to implement hardware control of transducers and signal acquisition from detectors, 52,53 and it has been already implemented for some microfluidic devices. 54,55 In this project, the Arduino microcontroller was integrated with a touch screen LCD (SainSmart 3.2…”

Prototyping Instruments for the Chemical Laboratory Using Inexpensive Electronic Modules

“…Microfluidic technology has been steadily developed in the past three decades.Microchips can perform reactions and separations in nano-and pico-liter volumes.I ti se specially convenient to control them with electrical signals.This control can be achieved through miniature microcontroller boards (for example,T eensy) and solenoid valves. [14] Digital microfluidic chips are based on the electrowetting-on-dielectric principle-the electrical potentials can actuate tiny droplets, and these potentials are applied to an electrode array in ad efined time sequence.T his can be achieved through an Arduino-based MCB. [15] Sample handling prior to mass spectrometric analysis requires various mechanical operations,b ut it is possible to devise as imple robotic system to eliminate manual sample handling ( Figure 2).…”

Contactless conductivity detection for analytical techniques— Developments from 2014 to 2016

“…Da Costa et al. , in an article on a trend to build laboratory hardware in an open source community approach, included the demonstration of C 4 D (for endpoint determination in titrations). Details on the construction of their C 4 D‐system are shared on a web‐site .…”

“… demonstrated the same approach for a further alternative to PCR known as loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). C 4 D was also used in a microfluidic platform for on‐line monitoring and real‐time examination of conductivity changes during a titration process (mixing of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide) .…”