Abstract
Microfluidic devices developed over the past decade feature greater intricacy, increased performance requirements, new materials, and innovative fabrication methods. Consequentially, new algorithmic and design approaches have been developed to introduce optimization and computer-aided design to microfluidic circuits: from conceptualization to specification, synthesis, realization, and refinement. The field includes the development of new description languages, optimization methods, benchmarks, and integrated design tools. Here, recent advancements are reviewed in the computer-aided design of flow-, droplet-, and paper-based microfluidics. A case study of the design of resistive microfluidic networks is discussed in detail. The review concludes with perspectives on the future of computer-aided microfluidics design, including the introduction of cloud computing, machine learning, new ideation processes, and hybrid optimization.
Highlights
Six paradigms of microfluidics. (a) Continuous integrated microfluidics
The process, requires expertise and numerous iterations [15]. Microfluidic foundries, such as the one at Stanford University, provide template files and guidelines with design rules and embedded constraints [16], but the overall design process is still heavily based on manual effort
The latter can be challenging due to three main drawbacks: (a) The actuation time of a microfluidic valve is relatively slow, as pressure has to propagate through a control channel; (b) set up time has to be fit between consecutive actuation patterns to ensure proper sealing; and (c) asynchronous control is often impossible since a series of valves connected to a single pressure line cannot be actuated simultaneously [22]
Summary
Most common designs are planar and require convoluted channel routing to interconnect components. To overcome some of the limitations of twodimensional (2-D) designs, many devices were designed using multilayered architecture, which is more difficult to realize [17]. Microfluidics large-scale integrated (mLSI) devices may have many thousands of integrated micromechanical valves and control components [18]. It has been shown that micro/nano fluidic systems follow Moore’s law, as valve www.annualreviews.org CAD of Microfluidic Circuits 287. Densities have increased exponentially with time [19], reaching a value of 1 million valves per cm2 [20]. MLSI designs are rapidly growing in complexity and, are difficult to define manually
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