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Hand-Powered Elastomeric Pump for Microfluidic Point-of-Care Diagnostics.
Gangadhar Eluru1, Jayesh Vasudeva Adhikari1, Priyalaxita Chanda1
1Optics and Microfluidics Instrumentation Lab, Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
Micromachines
|January 16, 2020
Summary
A novel, low-cost microfluidic pump utilizes material elasticity for fluid transport, eliminating complex fabrication and external power needs. This cost-effective pump is ideal for point-of-care diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Fluid pumping is essential for microfluidic applications.
- Existing pumping techniques often involve complex fabrication, high costs, and bulky external power supplies.
- These limitations hinder the adoption of microfluidic devices in point-of-care diagnostic (POCD) applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple, low-cost, and power-independent fluid pumping mechanism for microfluidic devices.
- To demonstrate the suitability of this new pumping technique for POCD applications.
Main Methods:
- Exploited the elastic properties of materials for fluid pumping.
- Performed simulations, validation, and characterization experiments.
- Focused on cost-effectiveness and reusability.
Main Results:
- Developed a microfluidic pump with a simple realization.
- The pump does not require external electric or magnetic power.
- Achieved a cost of less than 4 USD per pump with a lifespan of at least 500 uses.
- Demonstrated functionality and suitability for POCD applications through extensive testing.
Conclusions:
- The developed elastic-based microfluidic pump offers a cost-effective and simple solution for fluid handling.
- Its independence from external power and low cost make it highly suitable for point-of-care diagnostic devices.
- This technology has the potential to significantly advance microfluidic applications in resource-limited settings.
