Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100129872 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOVEMENT AND POSITIONING OF REACTION MIXTURE DURING NUCLEIC ACID AMPLIFICATION - A system for accurately positioning a reaction mixture during amplification of a nucleic acid includes a reaction vessel that contains the reaction mixture, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger and a pump assembly. The reaction vessel can include .a first zone and a second zone. The first heat exchanger is positioned near the first zone, and the second heat exchanger positioned near the second zone. The first heat exchanger adjusts the temperature of the reaction mixture so the reaction mixture is at a first temperature when the reaction mixture is in the first zone. The second heat exchanger adjusts the temperature of the reaction mixture so the reaction mixture is at a second temperature. The pump assembly adjusts the pressure within the reaction vessel to selectively position the reaction mixture relative to the first zone and the second zone during amplification. The system can include a sensor that monitors the position of the reaction mixture within the reaction vessel. The system can also include a second pump that cooperates with the pump assembly to adjust the position of the reaction mixture within the reaction vessel. | 05-27-2010 |
20110100823 | Droplet-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Apparatus and System - The present invention relates to a droplet-based nucleic acid amplification apparatus and system. According to one embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided made using a first substrate including a fluorescing material and including a detection region for detecting a fluorescence signal from a droplet, which detection region is coated with a light absorbing, low fluorescence or non-fluorescing material. | 05-05-2011 |
20130092539 | DROPLET-BASED NUCLEIC ACID AMPLIFICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS - Aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a simulator including a visual display capable of outputting to a user a display one or more effects of a command series selected and a system including a droplet microactuator electronically coupled to and controlled by a processor capable of executing instructions, the droplet microactuator including a substrate comprising electrodes for conducting droplet operations. Further aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a droplet operations troubleshooting apparatus. Other aspects of embodiments of the invention relate to a computer implemented method of displaying simulated microactuator droplets. | 04-18-2013 |
20130293246 | Capacitance Detection in a Droplet Actuator - The embodiments described herein provide methods of measuring capacitance, detecting a droplet at a position, determining a thickness of an oil film and determining temperature in a droplet actuator. Specifically, the capacitance detection method may be used as a real-time verification tool in order to detect the absence, presence, and/or partial presence of a droplet at an electrode, analyze droplet properties, measure droplet size or volume, optimize the speed of droplet operation and detect air bubbles. | 11-07-2013 |
20140231259 | Filler Fluids for Droplet Operations - The present invention relates to filler fluids for droplet operations. According to one embodiment of this aspect, a droplet microactuator including an opaque filler fluid and a transparent droplet thereon is provided. The droplet microactuator may further include a first substrate comprising electrodes configured to effect electrowetting mediated droplet operations on a surface of the first substrate; a second substrate spaced apart from the surface of the first substrate by a distance sufficient to define an interior volume between the first substrate and second substrate; and wherein the droplet and the filler fluid are in the interior volume, and wherein the droplet is surrounded by the filler fluid and arranged with respect to the electrodes in a manner which permits electrowetting mediated droplet operations to be effected on the droplet using the electrodes. | 08-21-2014 |
20140332380 | Capacitance Detection in a Droplet Actuator - A method, circuit and apparatus for detecting capacitance on a droplet actuator, inter alia, for determining the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at an electrode on a droplet actuator by: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged on the substrate for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; (ii) a capacitance detection circuit for detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; (b) detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; and (c) determining from the capacitance the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at the droplet operations surface at the electrode. | 11-13-2014 |
20150174577 | Filler Fluids for Droplet Operations - The present invention relates to filler fluids for droplet operations. According to one embodiment of this aspect, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes: (a) a first substrate comprising electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; (b) a second substrate spaced from the surface of the substrate by a distance sufficient to define an interior volume between the first substrate and second substrate, wherein the distance is sufficient to contain a droplet disposed in the space on the first substrate; and (c) a droplet arranged in the interior volume and arranged with respect to the electrodes in a manner which permits droplet operations to be effected on the droplet using the electrodes. | 06-25-2015 |
20150174578 | Droplet Actuator Configurations and Methods of Conducting Droplet Operations - A droplet actuator with a droplet formation electrode configuration associated with a droplet operations surface, wherein the electrode configuration comprises one or more electrodes configured to control volume of a droplet during formation of a sub-droplet on the droplet operations surface. Methods of making and using the droplet actuator are also provided. | 06-25-2015 |