Abstract: A microfluidic AM-EWOD device and a method of filling such a device are provided. The device comprises a chamber having one or more inlet ports. The device is configured, when the chamber contains a metered volume of a filler fluid that partially fills the chamber, preferentially maintain the metered volume of the filler fluid in a part of the chamber. The device is configured to allow displacement of some of the filler fluid from the part of the chamber when a volume of an assay fluid introduced into one of the one or more inlet ports enters the part of the chamber, thereby causing a volume of a venting fluid to vent from the chamber.

Abstract: An EWOD device includes a first and second substrate assemblies, and a spacer that spaces apart the first substrate assembly from the second substrate assembly to define a channel between them. The spacer defines fluid input ports that are in fluid communication with the channel, and the spacer is configured for directing fluid from the fluid input ports into the channel. The spacer has a combed spacer configuration to define the fluid input ports, including alternating teeth that extend into the channel from a base region, and the teeth isolate adjacent fluid input ports from each other. The spacer may contact only a portion of the first and second substrate assemblies to form a spacerless region within the EWOD device, and the spacer includes regions that are in contact with both the first and second substrate assemblies and extend into the channel to define a cell-gap of the channel.

Abstract: An EWOD device includes a first and second substrate assemblies, and a spacer that spaces apart the first substrate assembly from the second substrate assembly to define a channel between them. The spacer defines fluid input ports that are in fluid communication with the channel, and the spacer is configured for directing fluid from the fluid input ports into the channel. The spacer has a combed spacer configuration to define the fluid input ports, including alternating teeth that extend into the channel from a base region, and the teeth isolate adjacent fluid input ports from each other. The spacer may contact only a portion of the first and second substrate assemblies to form a spacerless region within the EWOD device, and the spacer includes regions that are in contact with both the first and second substrate assemblies and extend into the channel to define a cell-gap of the channel.

Abstract: An EWOD device includes a first substrate assembly and a second substrate assembly; wherein one of said substrate assemblies includes electrowetting electrodes, and the first substrate assembly and the second substrate assembly are spaced apart to define a channel between the substrate assemblies; and a housing for receiving the first substrate assembly and the second substrate assembly, the housing comprising an alignment feature for locating at least one of the first and second substrate assemblies within the housing. The device further includes a fixing feature for fixing the first and second substrate assemblies within the housing. The second substrate assembly is located within the housing such that the second substrate assembly is an outer component of the EWOD device. The device further may include a spacer that spaces apart the first substrate assembly from the second substrate assembly to define the channel between the first and second substrate assemblies.

Abstract: An EWOD device includes a first substrate assembly and a second substrate assembly; wherein one of said substrate assemblies includes electrowetting electrodes, and the first substrate assembly and the second substrate assembly are spaced apart to define a channel between the substrate assemblies; and a housing for receiving the first substrate assembly and the second substrate assembly, the housing comprising an alignment feature for locating at least one of the first and second substrate assemblies within the housing. The device further includes a fixing feature for fixing the first and second substrate assemblies within the housing. The second substrate assembly is located within the housing such that the second substrate assembly is an outer component of the EWOD device. The device further may include a spacer that spaces apart the first substrate assembly from the second substrate assembly to define the channel between the first and second substrate assemblies.

Abstract: An electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device includes a first substrate assembly and a second substrate assembly spaced apart to define a channel between them; an input port in fluid communication with the channel, the input port defining an input well for receiving a fluid for inputting into the channel; and a control port in fluid communication with the channel, the control port defining a control well for receiving a fluid and having a seal that seals the control port in a sealed state in which fluid is restricted from entering the control well from the channel. When the seal is pierced, the control port is placed in an unsealed state permitting fluid to enter the control well from the channel. The electrowetting force may be manipulated to remove the dispensed droplets via an exit port. Multiple cycles of fluid input/droplet manipulation/fluid extraction may be repeated to perform complex reaction protocols.

Abstract: A fluid loader is provided for loading fluid into a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device having upper and lower spaced apart substrates defining a fluid chamber therebetween and an aperture for receiving fluid into the fluid chamber. The fluid loader comprises a fluid well communicating with a fluid exit provided in a base of the fluid loader. The base of the fluid loader is shaped, in use, to locate the fluid loader relative to the aperture, and to direct fluid leaving the fluid loader via the fluid exit preferentially in a first direction in the fluid chamber of the microfluidic device. In one embodiment the base of the fluid loader comprises a protruding portion having at least first and second legs, the first leg being shorter than the second leg. In use, the fluid loader is positioned such that the first leg of the fluid loader is between a fluid loading area associated with the aperture (14) and an operating area of the device.

Abstract: A method of extracting assay fluid from an EWOD device, the EWOD device comprising two opposing substrates defining a fluid space there between and an aperture for extraction of fluid from the fluid space. The method comprises providing, in the fluid space of the EWOD device, a droplet of assay fluid adjacent to the aperture such that the droplet blocks extraction, via the aperture, of filler fluid contained in the fluid space of the EWOD device, and extracting, via the aperture, at least some of the assay fluid of the droplet from the fluid space. The method comprises, during the extracting, controlling the assay fluid droplet by electrowetting to maintain the blocking of extraction of filler fluid. By controlling the position of the unextracted portion of the assay fluid droplet relative to the aperture during the extraction process, the unextracted portion of the assay fluid droplet continues to block extraction of filler fluid.

Abstract: A display comprises a parallax optic (2), such as a combined parallax barrier and lens array, and a pixellated display device (1). The pixels of the display device (1) are arranged as groups cooperating with a parallax element (4) of the parallax optic (2). Each group comprises a first pixel (A) aligned with the centre of the parallax element (4), second and third pixels (B, C) on either side of the first pixel (A), and fourth pixels (D) shared with adjacent groups and disposed outside the second pixels (B, C). The parallax elements (4) make the different pixels of each group visible in different viewing regions. A control arrangement selects regions of the display and selects different combinations of the pixels of each group for image display within respective regions so as to provide simultaneously-present different viewing modes having different viewing range characteristics.

Abstract: An optical system is provided, for example for use with a display device, for varying the shape of a surface in which an image displayed by the display device is perceived. The optical system comprises first and second spaced-apart partial reflectors, at least one of which is switchable between a first non-flat shape and a second different shape, which may be flat or non-flat. The reflectors, together with polarisation optics, provide a light path such that light from the display is at least partially transmitted by the first reflector, partially reflected by the second reflector, partially reflected by the first reflector and partially transmitted by the second reflector. Light which does not follow the light path is prevented from leaving the optical system.

Abstract: A display which includes an array of pixels. Each pixel includes a hydrophobic layer; an electro-wetting fluid adjacent the hydrophobic layer, the electro-wetting fluid including at least first and second fluids immiscible with each other and having different polar properties and different optical properties; and at least one electrode wherein application of a voltage to the electrode alters a wetting effect of the electro-wetting fluid on the hydrophobic layer in a light-modulating area of the pixel. The display further includes a light-concentrating substrate including an array of light-concentrating structures each configured to concentrate light onto the light-modulating area of a corresponding one or more pixels within the array of pixels.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer includes a plurality of substrates defining a measurement region for receiving a singular laminar gas flow without any carrier or sheath gas. The measurement region includes an ionization region that is continuous with a detection region. An ionizing electrode, which may include a plurality of asymmetric electrodes, produces ions in the gas sample within the ionization region. The ionizing electrode may apply a time varying voltage to the gas sample to generate a time dependent ion production. A field generating electrode generates an electric field to deflect the ions in the gas sample, and a detection electrode array detects the deflected ions within the detection region. A controller is configured to determine ion species based on the detection of ions by the detection electrode array.

Abstract: A multiple-view display which includes a liquid crystal display base panel including an entrance substrate and an exit substrate which sandwich a nematic liquid crystal layer; a backlight on a side of the liquid crystal base panel opposite a side of a viewer; an entrance polarizer positioned between the backlight and the entrance substrate; an exit polarizer positioned between the exit substrate and the viewer; and a parallax element positioned between the exit substrate and the exit polarizer, the parallax element being aligned relative to pixels within the liquid crystal base panel to create different viewing regions, wherein in a display mode nematic liquid crystal within the liquid crystal layer is in a vertically aligned nematic (VAN) liquid crystal mode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display is provided which includes a combination including a liquid crystal layer located between an entrance polarizer and an exit polarizer; a backlight configured to illuminate the combination on a side of the liquid crystal layer which includes the entrance polarizer for viewing by an observer on a side of the liquid crystal layer which includes the exit polarizer; and an additional optical element which is positioned between the entrance polarizer and the exit polarizer and is configured to provide additional functionality and/or improved display performance in the display.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer includes a plurality of substrates defining a measurement region for receiving a singular laminar gas flow without any carrier or sheath gas. The measurement region includes an ionization region that is continuous with a detection region. An ionizing electrode, which may include a plurality of asymmetric electrodes, produces ions in the gas sample within the ionization region. The ionizing electrode may apply a time varying voltage to the gas sample to generate a time dependent ion production. A field generating electrode generates an electric field to deflect the ions in the gas sample, and a detection electrode array detects the deflected ions within the detection region. A controller is configured to determine ion species based on the detection of ions by the detection electrode array.

Abstract: A display which includes an array of pixels. Each pixel includes a hydrophobic layer; an electro-wetting fluid adjacent the hydrophobic layer, the electro-wetting fluid including at least first and second fluids immiscible with each other and having different polar properties and different optical properties; and at least one electrode wherein application of a voltage to the electrode alters a wetting effect of the electro-wetting fluid on the hydrophobic layer in a light-modulating area of the pixel. The display further includes a light-concentrating substrate including an array of light-concentrating structures each configured to concentrate light onto the light-modulating area of a corresponding one or more pixels within the array of pixels.

Abstract: An optical system is provided, for example for use with a display device, for varying the shape of a surface in which an image displayed by the display device is perceived. The optical system comprises first and second spaced-apart partial reflectors, at least one of which is switchable between a first non-flat shape and a second different shape, which may be flat or non-flat. The reflectors, together with polarisation optics, provide a light path such that light from the display is at least partially transmitted by the first reflector, partially reflected by the second reflector, partially reflected by the first reflector and partially transmitted by the second reflector. Light which does not follow the light path is prevented from leaving the optical system.

Abstract: A reflective display comprises a pixellated display device and an optical structure which concentrates light of a plurality of colours onto pixels of a plurality of sets, respectively. Each pixel is associated with a respective sub-structure which passes light of a first colour propagating towards the pixel but which redirects light of a second colour, propagating towards the pixel, to another pixel. The display device comprises a relief structure having reconfigurable contents for modulating light.

Abstract: A double layer electrowetting display is provided that includes a first electrowetting layer switchable between a reflective mode and a non-reflective mode; and a second electrowetting layer, adjacent the first electrowetting layer, including a plurality of pixels switchable to create an image.

Abstract: An interference-based MEMS device having a lower substrate including a substrate electrode; a lower membrane spaced apart from the lower substrate by a lower gap, the lower membrane including a lower membrane electrode; an upper membrane located on a side of the lower membrane opposite the lower substrate and spaced apart from the lower membrane by an upper gap, the upper membrane including an upper membrane electrode; and control circuitry configured to provide control voltages to the electrodes of the lower substrate, the lower membrane and the upper membrane to change the dimensions of the lower gap and the upper gap to control the reflective properties of the device with respect to light incident upon the lower substrate.