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Droplet microactuator system

  • US 7,815,871 B2
  • Filed: 12/15/2006
  • Issued: 10/19/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A droplet microactuator system comprising:

  • (a) a cartridge comprising;

    (i) a droplet microactuator comprising a substrate comprising electrodes configured to conduct droplet operations in a gap formed by the substrate of the droplet microactuator and a second substrate;

    (ii) a cartridge reservoir and a fluid path from the cartridge reservoir into the gap;

    (iii) a mechanical mechanism, electrical mechanism, pressure source and/or vacuum source for forcing fluid through the fluid path; and

    (iv) a droplet in the gap comprising magnetically responsive beads;

    (b) a magnetic field source arranged to immobilize the magnetically responsive beads in the droplet in the gap during a droplet operation mediated by the electrodes;

    (c) an optical sensor configured in a sensing relationship with the droplet microactuator, such that the sensor is capable of sensing an optical signal from and/or an optical property of one or more droplets on the droplet microactuator; and

    (d) one or more processors electronically coupled to the droplet microactuator and programmed to;

    (i) control the droplet operations on the droplet microactuator, wherein the droplet operations conduct one or more droplet-based assay protocols using droplet operations comprising one or more electrowetting-mediated droplet operations and the droplet-based assay protocols comprise one or more electrowetting-mediated bead-washing protocols; and

    (ii) process electronic signals from the optical sensor.

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