Efficient One-pass Synthesis for Digital Microfluidic Biochips

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Naser Mohammadzadeh ◽  
Robert Wille ◽  
Oliver Keszocze
Keyword(s):  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Lab On A Chip ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Computational Effort ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Pass Design ◽  
Placement And Routing ◽  
Digital Microfluidic ◽  
Individual Design

Digital microfluidics biochips are a promising emerging technology that provides fluidic experimental capabilities on a chip (i.e., following the lab-on-a-chip paradigm). However, the design of such biochips still constitutes a challenging task that is usually tackled by multiple individual design steps, such as binding, scheduling, placement, and routing. Performing these steps consecutively may lead to design gaps and infeasible results. To address these shortcomings, the concept of one-pass design for digital microfluidics biochips has recently been proposed—a holistic approach avoiding the design gaps by considering the whole synthesis process as large. But implementations of this concept available thus far suffer from either high computational effort or costly results. In this article, we present an efficient one-pass solution that is runtime efficient (i.e., rarely needing more than a second to successfully synthesize a design) while, at the same time, producing better results than previously published heuristic approaches. Experimental results confirm the benefits of the proposed solution and allow for realizing really large assays composed of thousands of operations in reasonable runtime.

scholarly journals A review of digital microfluidics as portable platforms for lab-on a-chip applications

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (13) ◽  
pp. 2376-2396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Samiei ◽  
Maryam Tabrizian ◽  
Mina Hoorfar
Keyword(s):  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Lab On A Chip ◽  
Microfluidic Platforms ◽  
Digital Microfluidic

This review evaluates the possibility of developing portable digital microfluidic platforms for lab-on-a-chip applications.

scholarly journals Machine Learning Model of Dimensionless Numbers to Predict Flow Patterns and Droplet Characteristics for Two-Phase Digital Flows

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4251
Author(s):  
Jinsong Zhang ◽  
Shuai Zhang ◽  
Jianhua Zhang ◽  
Zhiliang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Learning Algorithms ◽  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Dimensionless Numbers ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Input Variables ◽  
Digital Microfluidic

In the digital microfluidic experiments, the droplet characteristics and flow patterns are generally identified and predicted by the empirical methods, which are difficult to process a large amount of data mining. In addition, due to the existence of inevitable human invention, the inconsistent judgment standards make the comparison between different experiments cumbersome and almost impossible. In this paper, we tried to use machine learning to build algorithms that could automatically identify, judge, and predict flow patterns and droplet characteristics, so that the empirical judgment was transferred to be an intelligent process. The difference on the usual machine learning algorithms, a generalized variable system was introduced to describe the different geometry configurations of the digital microfluidics. Specifically, Buckingham’s theorem had been adopted to obtain multiple groups of dimensionless numbers as the input variables of machine learning algorithms. Through the verification of the algorithms, the SVM and BPNN algorithms had classified and predicted the different flow patterns and droplet characteristics (the length and frequency) successfully. By comparing with the primitive parameters system, the dimensionless numbers system was superior in the predictive capability. The traditional dimensionless numbers selected for the machine learning algorithms should have physical meanings strongly rather than mathematical meanings. The machine learning algorithms applying the dimensionless numbers had declined the dimensionality of the system and the amount of computation and not lose the information of primitive parameters.

A Framework for Validation of Synthesized MicroElectrode Dot Array Actuations for Digital Microfluidic Biochips

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-36
Author(s):  
Pushpita Roy ◽  
Ansuman Banerjee
Keyword(s):  
Formal Analysis ◽  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Correctness Proofs ◽  
Synthesis Tool ◽  
Laboratory Procedures ◽  
Automated Tools ◽  
Digital Microfluidic ◽  
High Level ◽  
Smooth Transformation

Digital Microfluidics is an emerging technology for automating laboratory procedures in biochemistry. With more and more complex biochemical protocols getting mapped to biochip devices and microfluidics receiving a wide adoption, it is becoming indispensable to develop automated tools and synthesis platforms that can enable a smooth transformation from complex cumbersome benchtop laboratory procedures to biochip execution. Given an informal/semi-formal assay description and a target microfluidic grid architecture on which the assay has to be implemented, a synthesis tool typically translates the high-level assay operations to low-level actuation sequences that can drive the assay realization on the grid. With more and more complex biochemical assay protocols being taken up for synthesis and biochips supporting a wider variety of operations (e.g., MicroElectrode Dot Arrays (MEDAs)), the task of assay synthesis is getting intricately complex. Errors in the synthesized assay descriptions may have undesirable consequences in assay operations, leading to unacceptable outcomes after execution on the biochips. In this work, we focus on the challenge of examining the correctness of synthesized protocol descriptions, before they are taken up for realization on a microfluidic biochip. In particular, we take up a protocol description synthesized for a MEDA biochip and adopt a formal analysis method to derive correctness proofs or a violation thereof, pointing to the exact operation in the erroneous translation. We present experimental results on a few bioassay protocols and show the utility of our framework for verifiable protocol synthesis.

scholarly journals Holistic versus monomeric strategies for hydrological modelling of modified hydrosystems

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 8265-8308
Author(s):  
I. Nalbantis ◽  
A. Efstratiadis ◽  
E. Rozos ◽  
M. Kopsiafti ◽  
D. Koutsoyiannis
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Calibration Procedure ◽  
Computational Effort ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Modelling Strategies ◽  
Extended Surface ◽  
Output Information ◽  
Surface And Groundwater

Abstract. The modelling of modified basins that are inadequately measured constitutes a challenge for hydrological science. Often, models for such systems are detailed and hydraulics-based for only one part of the system while for other parts oversimplified models or rough assumptions are used. This is typically a bottom-up approach, which seeks to exploit knowledge of hydrological processes at the micro-scale at some components of the system. Also, it is a monomeric approach in two ways: first, essential interactions among system components may be poorly represented or even omitted; second, differences in the level of detail of process representation can lead to uncontrolled errors. Additionally, the calibration procedure merely accounts for the reproduction of the observed responses using typical fitting criteria. The paper aims to raise some critical issues, regarding the entire modelling approach for such hydrosystems. For this, two alternative modelling strategies are examined that reflect two modelling approaches or philosophies: a dominant bottom-up approach, which is also monomeric and very often, based on output information and a top-down and holistic approach based on generalized information. Critical options are examined, which codify the differences between the two strategies: the representation of surface, groundwater and water management processes, the schematization and parameterization concepts and the parameter estimation methodology. The first strategy is based on stand-alone models for surface and groundwater processes and for water management, which are employed sequentially. For each model, a different (detailed or coarse) parameterization is used, which is dictated by the hydrosystem schematization. The second strategy involves model integration for all processes, parsimonious parameterization and hybrid manual-automatic parameter optimization based on multiple objectives. A test case is examined in a hydrosystem in Greece with high complexities, such as extended surface-groundwater interactions, ill-defined boundaries, sinks to the sea and anthropogenic intervention with unmeasured abstractions both from surface and groundwater. Criteria for comparison are the physical consistency of parameters, the reproduction of runoff hydrographs at multiple sites within the basin, the likelihood of uncontrolled model outputs, the required amount of computational effort and the performance within a stochastic simulation setting.

Digital microfluidics using a differentially polarized interface (DPI) to enhance translational force

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 3293-3302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Enayet Razu ◽  
Jungkyu Kim
Keyword(s):  
Low Voltage ◽  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Microfluidic Platform ◽  
Digital Microfluidic

A low-voltage and differentially polarized digital microfluidic platform is developed by enhancing the electromechanical force for droplet translation.

Digital microfluidics and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for in situ diffusion measurements and reaction monitoring

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 641-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Swyer ◽  
Sebastian von der Ecken ◽  
Bing Wu ◽  
Amy Jenne ◽  
Ronald Soong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Reaction Monitoring ◽  
Digital Microfluidic ◽  
Nuclear Magnetic

We describe a two-plate digital microfluidic method for interfacing with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DMF-NMR) for microscale chemical analysis.

scholarly journals Phase separation of multiphase droplets in a digital microfluidic device

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mun Mun Nahar ◽  
Hyejin Moon
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Capillary Number ◽  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Separation Performance ◽  
Comprehensive Investigation ◽  
Electrowetting On Dielectric ◽  
Splitting Technique ◽  
Droplet Splitting ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Digital Microfluidic

Abstract This study reports the first comprehensive investigation of separation of the immiscible phases of multiphase droplets in digital microfluidics (DMF) platform. Electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) actuation has been used to mechanically separate the phases. Phase separation performance in terms of percentage residue of one phase into another phase has been quantified. It was conceived that the residue formation can be controlled by controlling the deformation of the phases. The larger capillary number of the neck forming phase is associated with the larger amount of deformation as well as more residue. In this study, we propose two different ways to control the deformation of the phases. In the first method, we applied different EWOD operation voltages on two phases to maintain equal capillary numbers during phase separation. In the second method, while keeping the applied voltages same on both sides, we tested the phase separation performance by varying the actuation schemes. Less than 2% of residue was achieved by both methods, which is almost 90% improvement compared to the phase separation by the conventional droplet splitting technique in EWOD DMF platform, where the residue percentage can go up to 20%.

A Numerical Study of Electrode Arrangements for Precise Microdrop Generation in an Electrowetting-Based Digital Microfluidic Platform

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Guan ◽  
Baiyun Li ◽  
Mengnan Zhu ◽  
Shengjie Cheng ◽  
Jiyue Tu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Free Surface ◽  
Cell Model ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Digital Microfluidics ◽  
Surface Force ◽  
Viscous Force ◽  
Generation Process ◽  
Parallel Plates ◽  
Digital Microfluidic ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Owing to the wide applications in a large variety of multi-disciplinary areas, electrowetting-based digital microfluidics (DMF) has received considerable attention in the last decade. However, because of the complexity involved in the droplet generation process, the techniques and configurations for precise and controllable microdrop generation are still unclear. In this paper, a numerical study has been performed to investigate the impact of electrode arrangements on microdrop generation in an electrowetting-based DMF Platform proposed by a previously published experimental work. The governing equations for the microfluidic flow are solved by a finite volume formulation with a two-step projection method on a fixed numerical domain. The free surface of the microdrop is tracked by a coupled level-set and volume-of-fluid (CLSVOF) method, and the surface tension at the free surface is computed by the continuum surface force (CSF) scheme. A simplified viscous force scheme based on the ‘Hele-Shaw cell’ model is adopted to evaluate the viscous force exerted by the parallel plates. The generation process has been simulated with three different electrode arrangements, namely, ‘SL’, ‘SW’, and ‘SQ’. The effect of electrode arrangement on microdrop volume has been investigated. Besides, the influences of the initial microdrop location and volume on the generation process for the ‘SL’ design have been studied. The results can be used to advance microdrop generation techniques for various electrowetting-based DMF applications.

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