Abstract: A peristaltic pump is disclosed that includes a plunger, a spring, an actuator, a position sensor, and a processor. The plunger actuates toward and away from a tube. The spring biases the plunger toward the tube. The actuator actuates the plunger away from the tube and mechanically engages and disengages from the plunger. The position sensor senses a position of the plunger. The processor receives the sensed position of the plunger and estimates fluid flow within the tube using a first position of the plunger when the actuator is engaged with the plunger and a second position of the plunger when the actuator is disengaged from the plunger.

Abstract: A peristaltic pump includes a plunger-cam follower, a tube receiver, a spring-biased plunger, a spring, a position sensor, and a processor. The plunger-cam follower engages the plunger cam to follow the plunger cam and to disengage from the plunger cam. The spring-biased plunger is coupled to the plunger-cam follower and the spring biases the spring-biased plunger toward the tube receiver. The position sensor determines a position of the spring-biased plunger when the plunger-cam follower is disengaged from the plunger came. The processor estimates fluid flow utilizing at least the position of the spring-biased plunger as indicated by the position sensor when the plunger-cam follower is disengaged from the plunger cam and the spring biases the spring-biased plunger against the tube.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: Microdevices are disclosed to efficiently, accurately, and rapidly isolate and enumerate rare cells, such as circulating tumor cells, from liquids such as whole blood. The system employs multiple parallel meandering channels having a width on the order of 1-2 cell diameters. The microdevices can be produced at low-cost, may readily be automated, and in many instances may be used without pre-processing of the sample. They may be used to isolate and enumerate rare cells, including for example the detection and diagnosis of cancers, cancer staging, or evaluating the effectiveness of a therapeutic intervention, or detecting pathogenic bacteria. The device may optionally be used to nondestructively capture and later to release target cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for capturing, amplifying and identifying one or more of a plurality of target nucleotide sequences in a sample. The present invention is further directed to a device comprising a solid support having a plurality of wells or pillars and a plurality of oligonucleotides attached to the wells or pillars. Other aspects of the invention are directed to methods of making such devices.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided for efficient and quick capture of target cells through a main microchannel having capture elements immobilized thereon and manipulating a velocity profile of a sample as it passes through the main microchannel. The cell capture device may have a main microchannel with a depth slightly larger than the diameter of the target cells and a plurality of side microchannels. The side microchannels may have a depth smaller than the diameter of the target cells. The device and methods may be used for early cancer detection.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided for efficient and quick capture of target cells through a main microchannel having capture elements immobilized thereon and manipulating a velocity profile of a sample as it passes through the main microchannel. The cell capture device may have a main microchannel with a depth slightly larger than the diameter of the target cells and a plurality of side microchannels. The side microchannels may have a depth smaller than the diameter of the target cells. The device and methods may be used for early cancer detection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device comprising a biomolecular processor. Each biomolecular processor has one or more bioreactor chambers defined by a solid substrate; a support structure within each bioreactor; a cleaving enzyme immobilized to the support structure and operatively positioned within the bioreactor chamber to cleave monomer or multimer units of a biopolymer molecule operatively engaged by the cleaving enzyme; and one or more time-of-flight channels formed in the solid substrate and fluidically coupled to said one or more bioreactor chambers. Each of the time-of-flight channels have two or more sensors including at least (i) a first sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the input end of the channel and (ii) a second sensor contacting the time-of-flight channel proximate to the output end of channel. The present invention further relates to methods of sequencing and identifying biopolymer molecules using the device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for capturing, amplifying and identifying one or more of a plurality of target nucleotide sequences in a sample. The present invention is further directed to a device comprising a solid support having a plurality of wells or pillars and a plurality of oligonucleotides attached to the wells or pillars. Other aspects of the invention are directed to methods of making such devices.

Abstract: Microdevices are disclosed to efficiently, accurately, and rapidly isolate and enumerate rare cells, such as circulating tumor cells, from liquids such as whole blood. The system employs multiple parallel meandering channels having a width on the order of 1-2 cell diameters. The microdevices can be produced at low-cost, may readily be automated, and in many instances may be used without pre-processing of the sample. They may be used to isolate and enumerate rare cells, including for example the detection and diagnosis of cancers, cancer staging, or evaluating the effectiveness of a therapeutic intervention, or detecting pathogenic bacteria. The device may optionally be used to nondestructively capture and later to release target cells.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices are disclosed for carrying out cyclic or iterated reactions such as PCR, LDR, and other cyclic or iterated reactions. A microchannel forms a closed loop, through which a reaction mixture may be thermally cycled an arbitrary number of times. Flow is preferably mediated primarily by electrokinetics. Multiple temperature zones may be employed along the course of a single microchannel loop, for example for PCR. Embodiments may be compact, automated, fast, and operable in continuous-flow mode. Real-time reaction monitoring may optionally be used.

Abstract: Passively aligned modular microfluidic devices, and a method for fabricating such passively aligned polymeric modular microfluidic devices have been reported. The modular units fabricated are plurality of integrated microdevices. Also reported are microfluidic devices wherein isolated temperature zones exist so that the temperature within each zone may be distinctly and accurately controlled, and a method for fabricating such microfluidic devices wherein there are isolated temperature zones so that the temperature within each zone may be distinctly and accurately controlled. Such devices allow one to define constant temperature zones along a microfluidic channel where different reactions or stages of reactions occur.

Abstract: An electronic vertical angle sensing and indicating device for use on aiming systems is provided for bow sights and for other aiming sights for projectile launchers. Improved vertical level measurement and display minimizes the left-right drift of a projectile by sensing and indicating to the user when the projectile launcher is tilted slightly prior to release of the projectile. The vertical level indicator is easily viewed within the field of direct or near direct vision and focus of the eye in a reduced profile that does not distract the operator from the task of accurately aiming the projectile is provided. One embodiment of the present invention positions the signal indicators in the far-field of view of the eye, so that all of the signal indicators, the sighting means and the distant target being viewed are simultaneously in focus or near-focus.

Abstract: Circuitry for transmitting signals through a transformer has an output transistor and circuitry which provides a controlled current to and from the output transistor's gate, so as to charge and discharge the gate's parasitic capacitance and increase and decrease the transistor's output current in a controlled manner. Feedback can be used to sense an output signal created by the transistor and turn off current to or from the transistor's gate when the output signal has reached a desired level. The output signal can be the voltage differential produced across an output transformer, and, where the output transformer is center-tapped, it can be the voltage differential across both halves of the center tapped winding.

Abstract: NiW and NiFe microstructure alloys and other microstructure alloys are disclosed, along with a method of making those structures. The microstructures may have heights of 500 &mgr;m or greater, and the alloy composition may have a controllable gradient if it is desired to impart different properties to different parts of a structure. The microstructures are harder than conventional nickel microstructures, and have lower coefficients of thermal expansion. While both types of alloyed microdevices have improved hardness and reduced coefficients of thermal expansion, the NiW alloys may be primarily used where increased hardness is important, for example micro-gears and other microdevices with moving parts that would benefit from increased hardness at points of contact; while the NiFe alloys may be primarily used where a small coefficient of thermal expansion is desirable. The techniques are especially useful for plating NiW or NiFe into deep recesses of a microstructure.