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Pneumatically actuated microvalve circuits for programmable automation of chemical and biochemical analysis
Jungkyu Kim1, Amanda M Stockton2, Erik C Jensen3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
Abstract:
Programmable microfluidic platforms (PMPs) are enabling significant advances in the utility of microfluidics for chemical and biochemical analysis. Traditional microfluidic devices are analogous to application-specific devices--a new device is needed to implement each new chemical or biochemical assay. PMPs are analogous to digital electronic processors--all that is needed to implement a new assay is a change in the order of operations conducted by the device. In this review, we introduce PMPs based on normally-closed microvalves. We discuss recent applications of PMPs in diverse fields including genetic analysis, antibody-based biomarker analysis, and chemical analysis in planetary exploration. Prospects, challenges, and future concepts for this emerging technology will also be presented.
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