Stepwise waveform generator for autonomous microfluidic control

Kim, Geunyong; Dang, Bac Van; Kim, Sungjin

doi:10.1016/j.snb.2018.03.160

Cited by 16 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The electronic-hydraulic analogy allows for applying this electrical concept to fluidics (Additional file 1: Figure S1), as discussed elsewhere [20, 21]. Briefly, a fluidic resistor is a microfluidic channel with specific dimensions to restrict fluid flow while a fluidic capacitor is a chamber with a flexible membrane that can store liquid scaled with respect to the liquid pressure [22].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An electrically-controlled programmable microfluidic concentration waveform generator

Garrison

Palanisamy

et al. 2018

J Biol Eng

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BackgroundBiological systems have complicated environmental conditions that vary both spatially and temporally. It becomes necessary to impose time-varying soluble factor concentrations to study such systems, including cellular responses to pharmaceuticals, inflammation with waxing and waning cytokine concentrations, as well as circadian rhythms and their metabolic manifestations. There is therefore a need for platforms that can achieve time-varying concentrations with arbitrary waveforms.ResultsTo address this need, we developed a microfluidic system that can deliver concentration waveforms in a fast and accurate manner by adopting concepts and tools from electrical engineering and fluid mechanics. Specifically, we employed pulse width modulation (PWM), a commonly used method for generating analog signals from digital sources. We implement this technique using three microfluidic components via laser ablation prototyping: low-pass filter (lower frequency signals permitted, high frequency signals blocked), resistor, and mixer. Each microfluidic component was individually studied and iteratively tuned to generate desired concentration waveforms with high accuracy. Using fluorescein as a small-molecule soluble factor surrogate, we demonstrated a series of concentration waveforms, including square, sawtooth, sinusoidal, and triangle waves with frequencies ranging from 100 mHz to 400 mHz.ConclusionWe reported the fabrication and characterization of microfluidic platform that can generate time-varying concentrations of fluorescein with arbitrary waveforms. We envision that this platform will enable a wide range of biological studies, where time-varying soluble factor concentrations play a critical role. In addition, the technology is expected to assist in the development of biomedical devices that allow precise dosing of pharmaceuticals for enhanced therapeutic efficacy and reduced toxicity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13036-018-0126-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An electrically-controlled programmable microfluidic concentration waveform generator

Garrison

Palanisamy

et al. 2018

J Biol Eng

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“…could be integrated to achieve more sophisticated functionalities. For example, through connecting a microfluidic oscillator with a diode pump in series, Kim et al developed a stepwise waveform generator [274], which can convert constant pressure to stepwise varying pressure. With additional valves, it can control the reagent concentration, flow rate and shear stress in a stepwise manner.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonlinear microfluidics: device physics, functions, and applications

Xia

Zheng

et al. 2021

Lab Chip

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“…Microfluidic platforms that demonstrate the full suite of building-block capabilities can be used to translate a wide range of more complex electronic circuits into the microfluidic domain. References 48 – 50 .…”

Section: Extended Data Figures and Tablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A microfluidic transistor for automatic control of liquids

Gopinathan,

Mishra,

Mutlu

et al. 2023

Nature

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Microfluidics have enabled notable advances in molecular biology1,2, synthetic chemistry3,4, diagnostics5,6 and tissue engineering7. However, there has long been a critical need in the field to manipulate fluids and suspended matter with the precision, modularity and scalability of electronic circuits8–10. Just as the electronic transistor enabled unprecedented advances in the automatic control of electricity on an electronic chip, a microfluidic analogue to the transistor could enable improvements in the automatic control of reagents, droplets and single cells on a microfluidic chip. Previous works on creating a microfluidic analogue to the electronic transistor11–13 did not replicate the transistor’s saturation behaviour, and could not achieve proportional amplification14, which is fundamental to modern circuit design15. Here we exploit the fluidic phenomenon of flow limitation16 to develop a microfluidic element capable of proportional amplification with flow–pressure characteristics completely analogous to the current–voltage characteristics of the electronic transistor. We then use this microfluidic transistor to directly translate fundamental electronic circuits into the fluidic domain, including the amplifier, regulator, level shifter, logic gate and latch. We also combine these building blocks to create more complex fluidic controllers, such as timers and clocks. Finally, we demonstrate a particle dispenser circuit that senses single suspended particles, performs signal processing and accordingly controls the movement of each particle in a deterministic fashion without electronics. By leveraging the vast repertoire of electronic circuit design, microfluidic-transistor-based circuits enable fluidic automatic controllers to manipulate liquids and single suspended particles for lab-on-a-chip platforms.

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Stepwise waveform generator for autonomous microfluidic control

Cited by 16 publications

References 22 publications

An electrically-controlled programmable microfluidic concentration waveform generator

An electrically-controlled programmable microfluidic concentration waveform generator

Nonlinear microfluidics: device physics, functions, and applications

A microfluidic transistor for automatic control of liquids

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