Abstract
Microfluidics offer many advantages to Point of Care (POC) devices through lower reagent use and smaller size. Additionally, POC devices offer the unique potential to conduct tests outside of the laboratory. In particular, Electro-wetting on Dielectric (EWOD) microfluidics has been shown to be an effective way to move and mix liquids enabling many PoC devices. However, much of the research surrounding these microfluidic systems are focused on a single aspect of the system capability, such as droplet control or a specific new application at the device level using the EWOD technology. Often in these experiments the supporting systems required for operation are bench top equipment such as function generators, power supplies, and personal computers. Although various aspects of how an EWOD device is capable of moving and mixing droplets have been demonstrated at various levels, a complete self-contained and portable lab-on-a-chip system based on the EWOD technology has not been well demonstrated. For instance, EWOD systems tend to use high voltage alternating current (AC) signals to actuate electrodes, but little consideration is given to circuitry size or power consumption of such components to make the entire system portable. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of integrating all supporting hardware and software to correctly operate an EWOD device in a completely self-contained and battery-powered handheld unit. We present results that demonstrate a complete sample preparation flow for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction and isolation. The device was designed to be a field deployable, hand-held platform capable of performing many other sample preparation tasks automatically. Liquids are transported using EWOD and controlled via a programmable microprocessor. The programmable nature of the device allows it to be configured for a variety of tests for different applications. Many considerations were given towards power consumption, size, and system complexity which make it ideal for use in a mobile environment. The results presented in this paper show a promising step forward to the portable capability of microfluidic devices based on the EWOD technology.
Highlights
This article is an open access articleWith the increasing computing power and shrinking size of modern microprocessors, biomedical devices have benefited tremendously from the technological advances over the years and are capable of doing more tasks in smaller packages
By enabling automated sample preparation on such a small scale, the results presented in this paper demonstrate the potential of using the Electro-wetting on Dielectric (EWOD) technology to have lab tests performed on a hand-held device and make it a step closer to reality
An electronic control system consisting of on-board memory, microcontroller, protocol on chip
Summary
With the increasing computing power and shrinking size of modern microprocessors, biomedical devices have benefited tremendously from the technological advances over the years and are capable of doing more tasks in smaller packages. Researchers are able to gather data that were once limited only to the most advanced diagnostic labs. Processes that were once only available inside of central diagnostic labs are finding their distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons. Micromachines 2021, 12, 1065 way into smaller devices tailored to average users. Glucose meters may be one of the best examples of how modern technology made glucose testing readily available and easy to use for diabetic patients. Modern glucose meters can fit in your pocket and are battery powered for portability. The sensor technology in glucose meters is not trivial, yet they are relatively inexpensive
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