Programmable Microfluidic Device Contamination Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current microfluidic devices require significant design effort, time, and cost for each specific assay, and are tightly coupled with the assay protocol, limiting productivity and requiring cross-disciplinary knowledge, while also facing issues with fluid contamination.

Innovation Solution

A programmable microfluidic device that translates programming languages into executable requests, incorporating a conflict list to mitigate contamination by using a washer fluid and reordering instructions to prevent cross-contamination, allowing for multiple assays to be run on a single device with reduced design overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If application-specific lab-on-a-chip is designed for each assay, then assay performance is optimized, but design time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassay performanceVSAvoiddesign time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal microfluidic device with a standardized set of hardware components (mixers, heaters, separators, sensors, valves, pumps) that can be programmed to perform multiple different assays. This multi-functional platform eliminates the need to design a new chip for each assay while maintaining assay-specific performance through software control and configurable component arrangements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The device employs dynamically reconfigurable fluidic paths using controllable valves and pumps that can be programmed to create different flow patterns and connect different components in various sequences. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same physical hardware to adapt to different assay protocols, reducing design time while maintaining assay optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If application-specific lab-on-a-chip is designed for each assay, then assay requirements are met precisely, but cost increases due to repeated design cycles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassay requirement fulfillmentVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By creating a single universal device platform that can be programmed for different assays, the patent eliminates the need for repeated chip fabrication for each assay variant. The standardized hardware components are manufactured once, and assay-specific functionality is achieved through software programming, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining precise control over assay requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of physically replicating entire chip designs for each assay, the patent uses virtual copying through programming - the same physical device is reconfigured via software to simulate different assay environments and protocols, eliminating the cost of repeated physical manufacturing while maintaining assay fidelity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If hardware components are reused across multiple assays, then productivity increases, but contamination between assays occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassay throughputVSAvoidfluid contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces washers as intermediary components that are positioned between different assay modules in the fluidic path. These washers perform cleaning functions by introducing cleaning fluids to flush and decontaminate shared hardware components between assays, enabling safe reuse of components across multiple assays without cross-contamination while maintaining high productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary cleaning actions by automatically executing washer sequences between different assay runs. The washers are programmed to activate cleaning protocols before the next assay begins, preventing contamination buildup and enabling continuous high-throughput operation of shared hardware components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If a programmable microfluidic device is used, then versatility increases for running multiple assays, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-assay capabilityVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the microfluidic device into discrete, modular hardware components (individual mixers, heaters, separators, sensors, valves, and pumps) that can be independently controlled and configured. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high versatility through software programming of component combinations while keeping each individual component relatively simple in design and fabrication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9165097B2Programmable microfluidic systems and related methods

Publication Date: 2015.10.20 PURDUE RES FOUND

AI summary

A microfluidic device is programmable so that a single microarchitecture design can run many assays. Specifically, the programmable microfluidic device includes an execution method to facilitate translating from a programming language to a set of requests that are specified for the device. In addition, the microfluidic device includes a contamination mitigation method that includes a conflict list to mitigate contamination effects within the microfluidic device.