Droplet movement control using fuzzy logic controller and image processing along with pin valves inside microfluidic device

Faisal Mehmood,Umar Farooq,Zeeshan Haider,Yin Baoqun

doi:10.1177/0020294019877506

Faisal Mehmood, Umar Farooq + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/0020294019877506

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Abstract

Most of the research studies nowadays are trying to bring automation to biomedical engineering and Lab on a Chip which is fast growing interdisciplinary field and has attracted researchers from various fields. The objective of this paper is to present an overall system to control droplet movement inside microfluidic channel using fuzzy logic controller, image processing algorithm, and microvalves installed within microfluidic channel. A state space model has been derived from circuit analogy approach to describe the microfluidic network. Furthermore, a COMSOL-based study is primed for device structure by means of droplet generation and controlling the droplet through fitted valves. Moreover, an image processing algorithm based on active contours has been proposed in this research to track the movement of the droplet through the channel. This droplet controlling method is utterly based on fuzzy controller as well as camera images to move the droplet at desired position by controlling flow rates inside the fluidic channel using valves installed inside the microfluidic device. The results indicate that the fuzzy logic controller performs much better in terms of stability and faster response as compared to conventional proportional–integral–derivative controller.

Highlights

Microfluidics droplet techniques have revealed great promise for many different applications in various fields
Droplet microfluidics is widely applied in enzyme kinetics, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based analyses, functional component encapsulation, crystallization studies of protein, and cell cultures as well as molecule and polymeric particle synthesis.[6,7,8,9,10,11,12]
Different techniques have been introduced for controlling droplet generation; alike electrowetting method which involves the electric field, variation can help in changing interfacial tension among surface and the liquid

Summary

Introduction

Microfluidics droplet techniques have revealed great promise for many different applications in various fields. Droplet-based systems are successfully employed in cell biology, food diagnostics, targeted drug discovery, drug delivery, and various other chemical industrial applications.[1,2,3,4,5] Droplet microfluidics is widely applied in enzyme kinetics, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based analyses, functional component encapsulation, crystallization studies of protein, and cell cultures as well as molecule and polymeric particle synthesis.[6,7,8,9,10,11,12] Besides, its applications include adequate control of small volumes of substance, reducing quantities of reagents inside samplings, reduced analysis time, improved sensitivity, decreased detection limits, better screening with high throughput, and increased operational flexibility.

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