Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to droplet-based surface modification and washing. According to one embodiment, a method of splitting a droplet is provided, the method including providing a droplet microactuator including a droplet including one or more beads and immobilizing at least one of the one or more beads. The method further includes conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the droplet to yield a set of droplets including a droplet including the one or more immobilized beads and a droplet substantially lacking the one or more immobilized beads.
Abstract:
Sample processing droplet actuators, systems and methods are provided. According to one embodiment, a stamping device including a droplet microactuator is provided and includes: (a) a first plate including a path or network of control electrodes for transporting droplets on a surface thereof; (b) a second plate mounted in a substantially parallel orientation with respect to the first plate providing an interior volume between the plates, the second plate including one or more stamping ports for transporting some portion or all of a droplet from the interior volume to an exterior location; (c) a port for introducing fluid into the interior volume between the plates; and (d) a path or network of reference electrodes corresponding to the path or network of control electrodes. Associated systems and methods including the stamping device are also provided.
Abstract:
A droplet actuator configured to improve the throughput of droplet operations in a detection spot of the droplet actuator and/or to reduce carryover problems is provided. The droplet actuator may include electrodes configured for effecting droplet operations transporting droplets on a surface; a sensor arranged in proximity to one or more of the electrodes establishing a detection window on the surface for detection of one or more properties of one or more droplets on the surface; wherein the electrodes may establish at least two pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method for reducing or preventing droplet pinning as the droplet is transported across a boundary between a ground electrode region and a non-ground electrode region on a droplet actuator. The invention also provides a method for reducing or preventing droplet super-movement as the droplet is transported across a boundary between a ground electrode region and a non-ground electrode region on a droplet actuator.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads may cause target analyte to bind to the magnetically responsive beads. In some cases, the droplet may include unbound substances in a wash buffer. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads causes unbound substances to be freed from interstices of an aggregated set or subset of the magnetically responsive beads.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
A series of microactuators for manipulating small quantities of liquids, and methods of using these for manipulating liquids, are disclosed. The microactuators are based on the phenomenon of electrowetting and contain no moving parts. The force acting on the liquid is a potential-dependent gradient of adhesion energy between the liquid and a solid insulating surface.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to droplet actuators with local variation in gap height and methods of their use to facilitate droplet splitting and merging operations. The droplet actuators have increased gap-height regions that track droplet transport paths such that droplets can be transported along the paths with reduced risk of merging with droplets on adjacent paths.
Abstract:
The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The invention includes assay methods of conducting an assay comprising combining a sample with an umbelliferyl derivative, wherein the sample potentially comprises an enzyme capable of cleaving the umbelliferyl derivative and where the umbelliferyl derivative comprises an umbelliferyl core modified with one or more modifying moieties.