Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Microfluidic-assisted self-assembly of information-bearing oligomers.

Nanoscale·2026
Same author

Refined trajectory smoothing and deep learning classification of human sperm motility.

Human reproduction (Oxford, England)·2026
Same author

An Artificial Intelligence-Based Computer Vision Model for Human Sperm Concentration, Motility, and Kinematics Analysis.

Smart medicine·2026
Same author

Integrating acoustic microfluidics with spectroscopic analysis for efficient bacterial lysis and molecular characterisation.

Biosensors & bioelectronics·2025
Same author

Co-doped perovskite nanocrystals for multiplexed anticounterfeiting applications.

Nanoscale·2025
Same author

Open Microfluidic Cell Culture in Hydrogels Enabled by 3D-Printed Molds.

Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same journal

Microfluidic rare cell analysis beyond counting: workflow design from enrichment to multi-omics.

Lab on a chip·2026
Same journal

A sperm racetrack to separate sperm by swim speed.

Lab on a chip·2026
Same journal

Controlled encapsulation and droplet size prediction in two-step microfluidic double emulsions.

Lab on a chip·2026
Same journal

A particulate blood-mimicking fluid with physiological biconcave geometry for microscale hemorheology.

Lab on a chip·2026
Same journal

Multicellular sensor arrays fabricated by capillary stamping for pattern-based odor discrimination.

Lab on a chip·2026
Same journal

A real-time microfluidic surveillance system for multiplex detection of heavy metal contamination in wastewater.

Lab on a chip·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics
12:26

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics

Published on: August 27, 2013

18.2K

Microfluidic plug steering using surface acoustic waves.

Muhsincan Sesen1, Tuncay Alan, Adrian Neild

  • 1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia. adrian.neild@monash.edu.

Lab on a Chip
|June 17, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a novel method for precisely controlling liquid plugs in microfluidic devices using surface acoustic waves (SAWs). This technique enables efficient manipulation of droplets in closed microchannels for advanced lab-on-a-chip applications.

More Related Videos

A Microfluidic Platform for Precision Small-volume Sample Processing and Its Use to Size Separate Biological Particles with an Acoustic Microdevice
11:32

A Microfluidic Platform for Precision Small-volume Sample Processing and Its Use to Size Separate Biological Particles with an Acoustic Microdevice

Published on: November 23, 2015

14.5K
Microparticle Manipulation by Standing Surface Acoustic Waves with Dual-frequency Excitations
06:51

Microparticle Manipulation by Standing Surface Acoustic Waves with Dual-frequency Excitations

Published on: August 21, 2018

7.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics
12:26

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics

Published on: August 27, 2013

18.2K
A Microfluidic Platform for Precision Small-volume Sample Processing and Its Use to Size Separate Biological Particles with an Acoustic Microdevice
11:32

A Microfluidic Platform for Precision Small-volume Sample Processing and Its Use to Size Separate Biological Particles with an Acoustic Microdevice

Published on: November 23, 2015

14.5K
Microparticle Manipulation by Standing Surface Acoustic Waves with Dual-frequency Excitations
06:51

Microparticle Manipulation by Standing Surface Acoustic Waves with Dual-frequency Excitations

Published on: August 21, 2018

7.5K

Area of Science:

  • Microfluidics
  • Acoustofluidics
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Digital microfluidic systems enable efficient biological assays and chemical reactions.
  • Manipulating droplets within closed microchannel devices presents significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a method for selectively steering liquid plugs in microfluidic Y-junctions.
  • To utilize surface acoustic waves (SAWs) for active droplet manipulation.

Main Methods:

  • Employing surface acoustic waves (SAWs) to generate acoustic radiation forces at liquid-liquid interfaces.
  • Designing a specialized Y-junction within a microfluidic chip to direct plug movement.
  • Characterizing plug steering based on volume, velocity, and input power.

Main Results:

  • Successfully steered liquid plugs into selected branches of a Y-junction.
  • Demonstrated the ability to split plugs into uneven portions by tuning input power.
  • Identified a threshold plug volume beyond which increased energy input is required for steering.

Conclusions:

  • The SAW-based method offers a robust and active plug manipulation technique for closed microchannels.
  • This approach is readily integrable into existing lab-on-a-chip platforms.
  • The findings advance the capabilities of digital microfluidic systems for complex fluid handling.