Abstract: Gas permeable cultureware with ledges on their liquid holding area walls are described. Each ledge can have a resting surface for the tip of a pipette as well as a cradle-like area that captures the end of the pipette. A cultureware vessel can have multiple ledges spanning around its inside or placed vertically above and below each other. The ledges can facilitate the addition and removal of liquid media, cells, and waste. The ledges provide a robust area for the operator to rest a pipette tip during operations without risk of puncturing a gas permeable membrane of the device. They can have a spillway that redirects the flow of liquid media to minimize disruption of cells in the cultureware, a visual indicator for the amount of media added to a device, and a weirs for the removal of media to precise heights or volumes within the device.

Abstract: Cultureware, such as petri dishes, well plates, tubes, and flasks, are made with a gas permeable bottom having rows of tiny fins configured to trap biological cells in the grooves between them. The tops of the fins can be rounded or slanted such that seed cells that are deposited into the cultureware roll into the grooves. The fins are parallel to each other but can be formed in a wavy, zig-zag, or other undulating pattern. The undulating fin cultureware can be rested on a slanted surface such that deposited seed cells roll into dips formed by the undulations. Footings underneath the resilient bottom that run orthogonal to the grooves can, during centrifugation, promote the formation of temporary local minima in the unsupported areas between the grooves. Seeded cells that are deposited into the cultureware will roll into the local minima when centrifuged and stay congregated with each other when the cultureware is removed from the centrifuge.

Abstract: Micro fences that extend laterally between slightly larger fins on the bottom of gas permeable, hydrophobic cultureware can help purge air that may otherwise get trapped between the fins. The low-rise fences may be placed within longitudinal gaps between fins or between the fins themselves. The fins may have rounded or slanted tops, longitudinal slopes, chamfered ends, and/or other surface features to help free bubbles upward or into a peripheral groove that surrounds the bottom of the cultureware. The fins themselves may vary in width along their lengths to form pinch points and create wider regions in order to allow bubbles to find each other and merge. The bottoms of the grooves between the fins may undulate along their lengths to form peaks and valleys where bubbles may gather and release.

Abstract: A safe disconnect coupler for medical tubing includes a coupler body that mates with a stalk, the coupler body having protruding cylindrical male nose portion that mates into a receptacle of the stalk. A resilient O-ring around a base of the nose mates into a circumferential detent groove in the receptacle. The O-ring and detent groove are shaped such that the nose and stalk are held slightly apart, and a small, calibrated (e.g., 1 N) tensile force is needed to pull them apart. However, when a bending force is applied to the coupler assembly, the nose bears against the inside of the stalk, keeping the two aligned such the bending force alone will not pry them apart. For a Foley catheter, an additional adapter can open a balloon injection port when pulled, and/or the coupler can be kitted with the drain bag.

Abstract: A lacrimal tear flow measurement device, and methods of manufacture and use, are described that includes a polymer microcapillary tube or similar structure having at least one end coated on the outside with soft silicone rubber and one end treated on the inside to be hydrophobic. The hydrophobic end keeps liquid from escaping or entering that end while allowing air to pass. The rest of the tube's insides may be hydrophilic or a neutral hydrophobe. As a Schirmer's test strip replacement, the entrance end of the device can be touched to the lacrimal lake of a patient's eye to collect suck up, or merely collect, tear fluid within the collection tube for weighing, volume measurement, or other analysis. Long-term collection devices for wear between doctors' visits can have a bypass channel allowing liquid to flow back onto the eye.

Abstract: A contact lens fluid delivery device having a liquid reservoir connected to a channel with a flow regulator is described. Other eye hydration and variable dioptric power contact lenses are described herein. Also described are implantable liquid delivery apparatuses having a liquid storage reservoir connected to a channel with a flow regulator. These devices and apparatuses are useful for specific, targeted delivery of therapeutic liquids within a subject. In some embodiments, the devices incorporate actuation chambers which provide a driving force releasing the fluid into the targeted area e.g., the eye. The actuation chambers described herein can contain phase change materials or osmotic chambers or a combination thereof to drive the release of fluid.

Abstract: A microfluidic flow restrictor that uses micron-sized beads to impede flow is described. The flow rate can be adjusted by adding or removing the beads using injection needles through self-sealing ports, one injection needle injecting or aspirating beads and another injection needle pushing or pulling fluid from outside of a bead trap within the flow restrictor. In alternative embodiments, the beads or other filler material can be trapped in a manifold bead trap such that they block a subset of fluid channels of the flow restrictor, allowing fluid to flow freely through the rest of the fluid channels. The flow restrictor can be integrated with a contact lens or implantable medical device for use in dispensing liquid therapeutic agents at flow rates of microliters per minute or moving body fluids at a controlled rate from one part of the body to another.

Abstract: A lacrimal tear flow measurement device, and methods of manufacture and use, are described that includes a polymer microcapillary tube or similar structure having at least one end coated on the outside with soft silicone rubber and one end treated on the inside to be hydrophobic. The hydrophobic end keeps liquid from escaping or entering that end while allowing air to pass. The rest of the tube's insides may be hydrophilic or a neutral hydrophobe. As a Schirmer's test strip replacement, the entrance end of the device can be touched to the lacrimal lake of a patient's eye to collect suck up, or merely collect, tear fluid within the collection tube for weighing, volume measurement, or other analysis. Long-term collection devices for wear between doctors' visits can have a bypass channel allowing liquid to flow back onto the eye.

Abstract: A lacrimal tear flow measurement device, and methods of manufacture and use, are described that includes a polymer microcapillary tube or similar structure having at least one end coated on the outside with soft silicone rubber and one end treated on the inside to be hydrophobic. The hydrophobic end keeps liquid from escaping or entering that end while allowing air to pass. The rest of the tube's insides may be hydrophilic or a neutral hydrophobe. As a Schirmer's test strip replacement, the entrance end of the device can be touched to the lacrimal lake of a patient's eye to collect suck up, or merely collect, tear fluid within the collection tube for weighing, volume measurement, or other analysis. Long-term collection devices for wear between doctors' visits can have a bypass channel allowing liquid to flow back onto the eye.

Abstract: An ophthalmic liquid delivery apparatus includes a bulbar conjunctiva contacting surface, a palpebral conjunctiva contacting surface which is opposite the bulbar conjunctiva contacting surface, a therapeutic storage reservoir, and at least one fluid delivery port. In addition, a fill system for a liquid filled device includes a liquid feed tube, a plug rod feed tube, a junction port for the liquid feed tube and plug rod feed tube to meet, a needle output to temporarily interface with an ophthalmic liquid delivery device during the filling and plug step, and a cutting tool to cut the plug rod once the device is filled.

Abstract: A microfluidic flow restrictor that uses micron-sized beads to impede flow is described. The flow rate can be adjusted by adding or removing the beads using injection needles through self-sealing ports, one injection needle injecting or aspirating beads and another injection needle pushing or pulling fluid from outside of a bead trap within the flow restrictor. In alternative embodiments, the beads or other filler material can be trapped in a manifold bead trap such that they block a subset of fluid channels of the flow restrictor, allowing fluid to flow freely through the rest of the fluid channels. The flow restrictor can be integrated with a contact lens or implantable medical device for use in dispensing liquid therapeutic agents at flow rates of microliters per minute or moving body fluids at a controlled rate from one part of the body to another.

Abstract: A microfluidic flow restrictor that uses micron-sized beads to impede flow is described. The flow rate can be adjusted by adding or removing the beads using injection needles through self-sealing ports, one injection needle injecting or aspirating beads and another injection needle pushing or pulling fluid from outside of a bead trap within the flow restrictor. In alternative embodiments, the beads or other filler material can be trapped in a manifold bead trap such that they block a subset of fluid channels of the flow restrictor, allowing fluid to flow freely through the rest of the fluid channels. The flow restrictor can be integrated with a contact lens or implantable medical device for use in dispensing liquid therapeutic agents at flow rates of microliters per minute or moving body fluids at a controlled rate from one part of the body to another.

Abstract: An ophthalmic device for illuminating an interior region of a patient's eye includes a polymeric, at least partially transparent body having a first surface contoured to substantially conform to an ocular surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface; a light source; and an optical element for directing light through the first surface such that, with the first surface in contact with a corneal surface of the patient's eye, a portion of interior region of the patient's eye illuminated by the light source is visible through the first and second surfaces. In certain embodiments, the light source is sufficient to illuminate the retina so that an ophthalmic surgeon may view the eye during an evaluation or surgical procedure without the need for invasive probes, cameras, or other equipment.

Abstract: An eye treatment apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an annular body that has a hollow optical zone in its center. An inner perimeter of the annular body surrounds the optical zone. The inner perimeter has a diameter that corresponds to a diameter of the eye's cornea. An outer perimeter of the annular body has a diameter such that the annular body can extend to underneath the eye lid in an open eye position when the eye treatment apparatus is in operation. In this way, the apparatus can be worn on the eye, where the hollow optical zone substantially corresponds to the cornea and does not interfere with the field of vision. The annular body also includes a storage chamber that stores therapeutic liquid for an eye. An outlet is coupled with the storage chamber such that, in operation, the therapeutic liquid can be dispensed to the eye.

Abstract: A contact lens fluid delivery device having a liquid reservoir connected to a channel with a flow regulator is described. Other eye hydration and variable dioptric power contact lenses are described herein. Also described are implantable liquid delivery apparatuses having a liquid storage reservoir connected to a channel with a flow regulator. These devices and apparatuses are useful for specific, targeted delivery of therapeutic liquids within a subject. In some embodiments, the devices incorporate actuation chambers which provide a driving force releasing the fluid into the targeted area e.g., the eye. The actuation chambers described herein can contain phase change materials or osmotic chambers or a combination thereof to drive the release of fluid.

Abstract: A contact lens fluid delivery device having a liquid reservoir connected to a channel with a flow regulator is described. Other eye hydration and variable dioptric power contact lenses are described herein. Also described are implantable liquid delivery apparatuses having a liquid storage reservoir connected to a channel with a flow regulator. These devices and apparatuses are useful for specific, targeted delivery of therapeutic liquids within a subject. In some embodiments, the devices incorporate actuation chambers which provide a driving force releasing the fluid into the targeted area e.g., the eye. The actuation chambers described herein can contain phase change materials or osmotic chambers or a combination thereof to drive the release of fluid.

Abstract: A lacrimal tear flow measurement device, and methods of manufacture and use, are described that includes a polymer microcapillary tube or similar structure having at least one end coated on the outside with soft silicone rubber and one end treated on the inside to be hydrophobic. The hydrophobic end keeps liquid from escaping or entering that end while allowing air to pass. The rest of the tube's insides may be hydrophilic or a neutral hydrophobe. As a Schirmer's test strip replacement, the entrance end of the device can be touched to the lacrimal lake of a patient's eye to collect suck up, or merely collect, tear fluid within the collection tube for weighing, volume measurement, or other analysis. Long-term collection devices for wear between doctors' visits can have a bypass channel allowing liquid to flow back onto the eye.

Abstract: An eye treatment apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an annular body that has a hollow optical zone in its center. An inner perimeter of the annular body surrounds the optical zone. The inner perimeter has a diameter that corresponds to a diameter of the eye's cornea. An outer perimeter of the annular body has a diameter such that the annular body can extend to underneath the eye lid in an open eye position when the eye treatment apparatus is in operation. In this way, the apparatus can be worn on the eye, where the hollow optical zone substantially corresponds to the cornea and does not interfere with the field of vision. The annular body also includes a storage chamber that stores therapeutic liquid for an eye. An outlet is coupled with the storage chamber such that, in operation, the therapeutic liquid can be dispensed to the eye.

Abstract: A microfluidic flow restrictor that uses micron-sized beads to impede flow is described. The flow rate can be adjusted by adding or removing the beads using injection needles through self-sealing ports, one injection needle injecting or aspirating beads and another injection needle pushing or pulling fluid from outside of a bead trap within the flow restrictor. In alternative embodiments, the beads or other filler material can be trapped in a manifold bead trap such that they block a subset of fluid channels of the flow restrictor, allowing fluid to flow freely through the rest of the fluid channels. The flow restrictor can be integrated with a contact lens or implantable medical device for use in dispensing liquid therapeutic agents at flow rates of microliters per minute or moving body fluids at a controlled rate from one part of the body to another.

Abstract: An implantable medical device is described. The implantable medical device includes a small molecule generator, a small molecule diffusor, and a cannula that connects the two. The small molecule generator includes an electrolyte reservoir and a set of electrodes. A first portion of the electrolyte reservoir is impermeable to a predetermined class of small molecules. A second portion of the electrolyte reservoir is permeable to the small molecules. The set of electrodes is disposed inside the electrolyte reservoir and is configured to facilitate electrolysis of the small molecules based on an electric power application to the set of electrodes and on presence of electrolyte inside the electrolyte reservoir. At least a portion of the small molecule diffusor is permeable to the small molecules.