Acousto-Pi: An Opto-Acoustofluidic System Using Surface Acoustic Waves Controlled With Open-Source Electronics for...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Microfluidics
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices offer unique acoustofluidic sensing and actuating properties for life sciences.
• Existing systems face challenges in hardware integration, control, and cost-effectiveness for advanced biological assays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a versatile, digitally controlled acoustofluidic platform for biological assays.
• To demonstrate high-performance, low-cost system integration for point-of-care applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized open-source Raspberry Pi hardware and 3-D printed components for the Acousto-Pi platform.
• Integrated Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices with piezoelectric thin films on metallic substrates.
• Implemented closed-loop feedback control with image recognition for droplet manipulation and in situ fluorescence sensing using a standard camera.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated droplet transportation, mixing, and dilution for sample processing.
• Achieved in situ fluorescence sensing, eliminating the need for complex optical setups.
• Enabled embedded processing, remote operation, and cloud data recording for real-time measurements.

Conclusions:

• The Acousto-Pi platform provides a versatile and cost-effective solution for acoustofluidic applications in biology and medicine.
• The system's capabilities support integrated in-field diagnostics for disease control, healthcare screening, and food safety.