POC Micro Biochip Nano Electrodes Hydrophilic Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biochips for disease diagnostics lack sensitivity and specificity, are inefficient, and cannot easily detect diseases like cancer, lifestyle-related diseases, and infectious diseases using a single patient sample, especially at the early stages, and are limited by material constraints such as glass and hydrophobic polymer materials that hinder fluid flow.
Innovation Solution
A point-of-care micro biochip with nano interdigitated electrodes on metallic conductive materials like gold, integrated with hydrophilic microchannels made from PDMS or 3D printer materials, allowing self-driven fluid flow and enhanced sensitivity through capacitance measurements, capable of detecting biomolecular reactions in nano and femto levels using a single sample source like blood, saliva, or urine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If glass is used for biochip manufacturing, then structural stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to etching requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from glass to polymer, fundamentally altering the manufacturing approach. This material substitution eliminates the need for complex glass etching processes while maintaining structural integrity through polymer-specific fabrication techniques, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural stability and manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures combining polymer substrates with metallic conductive materials (gold, silver, platinum) for the electrode components. This composite approach leverages the ease of polymer manufacturing while incorporating the superior conductivity and stability of metals, achieving both manufacturing simplicity and functional performance.
2Ease of manufacture
If polymer materials are used for biochip manufacturing, then manufacturing ease is improved, but fluid flow is reduced due to hydrophobic nature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies surface treatment to modify the polymer's surface properties, changing the contact angle parameter to achieve hydrophilicity. This parameter change enables effective fluid flow while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of polymer materials, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and fluid flow capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a surface treatment layer or coating as an intermediary between the hydrophobic polymer substrate and the biofluid. This intermediary layer provides the necessary hydrophilic interface to facilitate fluid flow while the underlying polymer structure maintains its manufacturing advantages.
3Ease of operation
If standard test biomarkers are used, then testing simplicity is maintained, but detection sensitivity for early stage diseases is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection function into multiple specialized sensing zones, each optimized for detecting specific biomarkers or disease states. This segmentation enables simultaneous detection of multiple early-stage disease indicators using a single integrated chip, maintaining simplicity while dramatically improving detection sensitivity compared to standard single-biomarker tests.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional two-dimensional planar sensing to three-dimensional nano-interdigitated electrode structures. This dimensional change increases the effective sensing surface area and enhances the detection sensitivity for early-stage diseases while maintaining the integrated simplicity of the chip format.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple biomarkers are detected from a single sample, then diagnostic versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple detection functions into a single integrated chip structure, combining multiple biomarker detection capabilities in one device. This merging approach achieves diagnostic versatility for detecting multiple diseases from a single sample while minimizing device complexity through integrated design, eliminating the need for multiple separate testing systems.
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
The biochip significantly enhances disease detection sensitivity and specificity, enabling early diagnosis of complex diseases like cancer with improved ease of use and cost-effectiveness, eliminating the need for external pumps and allowing multiple biomarkers to be detected from a single sample.
Implementation Method 1
incorporates a controlled self-driven flow of the bio fluid such as, but not limited to, blood onto gold or similar metallic conductive material
Implementation Method 2
enhanced sensitivity through capacitance measurements, capable of detecting biomolecular reactions in nano and femto levels
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method to detect disease-specific antigens assists in disease diagnosis. Point-of-care (POC) micro biochip incorporates at least one hydrophilic microchannel for controlled and self-driven flow of body fluid. Metallic nano-interdigitated electrodes disposed within the channels give enhanced sensitivity detection. Microchannel controls flow and amplifies a capillary effect. Electrodes are fabricated on microchannel surface to detect biomolecular interactions. When a sample flows through microchannel, disease-specific antigens from the sample form antigen-antibody complex with antibodies immobilized on electrodes. Antigen-antibody interaction is detected via an electrical change in the biochip's nano circuit. Each electrode may include a different antibody to detect different antigens. Capacitance during antigen-antibody interaction without microfluidic flow is higher than with microfluidic flow due to immobilized antibodies instability on sensing surface caused by shear stress. POC biochip provides nano level detection of many disease-specific antigens of any type based on micro volume or single drop sized sample.