Addressable Electrode Arrays in Fluidic Compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrochemical electrode arrays face challenges in making connections between external amplifiers and hundreds or thousands of electrodes, leading to inefficient use of 'real estate' on lab-on-a-chip devices and increased noise in measurements due to the need for numerous external connections.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of multiple fluid compartments allows for selective enabling and disabling of electrodes, reducing the number of external connections by approximately 100-fold while maintaining low amperometric noise levels, by enabling measurements in one compartment while disabling others, and repeating this process across an addressable array.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple electrodes are connected to external amplifiers using traditional methods, then measurement capability is improved, but the number of external connections increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple fluid compartments, with each compartment containing electrodes that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows the system to address multiple electrodes through a reduced number of external connections by activating only one compartment at a time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs time-division multiplexing where electrodes in different compartments are activated sequentially rather than simultaneously. Each compartment is enabled for a brief period to take measurements, then disabled while the next compartment is activated, creating a periodic measurement cycle that reduces connection requirements.
2Productivity
If multiple fluid compartments are filled simultaneously, then throughput is improved, but noise levels increase due to larger effective electrode area
Solution Approach 1:
The system activates electrodes in different compartments sequentially rather than simultaneously. At any given moment, only one compartment is enabled for measurement while others remain disabled, ensuring that the effective electrode area contributing to noise remains small while still allowing multiple compartments to be used for high-throughput measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically controls the state of electrodes in different compartments, transitioning them between enabled and disabled states. This dynamic control allows the effective electrode area to be adjusted in real-time, maintaining low noise levels while enabling high-throughput operation through sequential activation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances measurement throughput with low noise levels and reduces the cost per working electrode by minimizing the area dedicated to external connections, allowing for efficient filling and use of fluid compartments without the need for sequential filling and emptying.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining an amperometric noise level comparable to that of an individual electrode
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparati for performing measurements of electrical signals in a multi-compartmented fluidic array format where the signal to noise ratio is improved are disclosed.