Method and apparatus for programmable fluidic processing
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for programmably manipulating a packet, said apparatus comprising:
- a reaction surface configured to provide an interaction site for said packet;
an inlet port coupled to said reaction surface and configured to introduce said packet onto said reaction surface;
means for generating a programmable manipulation force upon said packet to programmably move said packet about said reaction surface along arbitrarily chosen paths; and
a position sensor coupled to said reaction surface and configured to sense a position of said packet on said reaction surface; and
a controller coupled to said means for generating a programmable manipulating force and to said position sensor, said controller configured to adjust said programmable manipulation force according to said position.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An apparatus for programmably manipulating a packet, said apparatus comprising:
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a reaction surface configured to provide an interaction site for said packet;
an inlet port coupled to said reaction surface and configured to introduce said packet onto said reaction surface;
means for generating a programmable manipulation force upon said packet to programmably move said packet about said reaction surface along arbitrarily chosen paths; and
a position sensor coupled to said reaction surface and configured to sense a position of said packet on said reaction surface; and
a controller coupled to said means for generating a programmable manipulating force and to said position sensor, said controller configured to adjust said programmable manipulation force according to said position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating packets, said apparatus comprising:
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a reaction surface configured to provide an interaction site for said packets;
an inlet port coupled to said reaction surface and configured to introduce said packets onto said reaction surface;
an array of driving electrodes coupled to said reaction surface and configured to generate a programmable manipulation force upon said packets to direct said microfluidic processing by moving said packets along arbitrarily chosen paths; and
an array of impedance sensing electrodes coupled to said reaction surface and configured to sense a position of said packets during said microfluidic processing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19)
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16. An apparatus for processing packets in a partitioning medium, said apparatus comprising:
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a chamber configured to contain said packets and said partitioning medium;
a programmable dielectrophoretic array coupled to said chamber and configured to generate a programmable dielectrophoretic force to direct processing of said packets; and
an impedance sensing array of electrodes integral with said programmable dielectrophoretic array, said impedance sensing array of electrodes configured to sense a position of said packets within said chamber.
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20. A method for manipulating a packet, comprising:
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providing a reaction surface, an inlet port coupled to said reaction surface, means for generating a programmable manipulation force upon said packet, a position sensor coupled to said reaction surface, and a controller coupled to said means for generating a programmable manipulation force and to said position sensor;
introducing a material onto said reaction surface with said inlet port;
compartmentalizing said material to form said packet;
sensing a position of said packet with said position sensor;
applying a programmable manipulation force on said packet at said position with said means for generating a programmable manipulation force, said programmable manipulation force being adjustable according to said position by said controller;
programmably moving said packet according to said programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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29. A method of fluidic processing, said method comprising:
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providing a reaction surface, an inlet port coupled to said reaction surface, an array of driving electrodes coupled to said reaction surface, and an array of impedance sensing electrodes coupled to said reaction surface;
introducing one or more materials onto said reaction surface with said inlet port;
compartmentalizing said one or more materials to form a plurality of packets;
applying a sensing signal to one or more of said impedance sensing electrodes to determine a position of one or more of said plurality of packets; and
applying a driving signal to one or more of said driving electrodes to generate a programmable manipulation force on one or more of said plurality of packets at said position; and
interacting one or more of said plurality of packets according to said programmable manipulation force.
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36. A method for manipulating one or more packets on a reaction surface, comprising:
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providing a programmable dielectrophoretic array coupled to said reaction surface and an impedance sensing array of electrodes integral with said programmable dielectrophoretic array;
introducing a material onto said reaction surface;
compartmentalizing said material to form said one or more packets;
specifying a path upon said reaction surface;
applying a programmable manipulation force with said programmable dielectrophoretic array on said one or more packets to move said one or more packets along said path;
sensing a position of said one or more packets with said impedance sensing array of electrodes;
monitoring whether said position corresponds to said path; and
interacting said one or more packets.
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Specification