A carrier platform for microfluidics research and prototyping

The technology of microfluidics has the potential to revolutionize the way in which a wide range of analytical and diagnostic tests are implemented in applications ranging from genomics to healthcare to environmental monitoring. The translation of innovation in microfluidic devices developed through academic research into actual applications is greatly facilitated by the availability of a prototyping platform, through which a proof-of-concept microsystem can be rapidly and efficiently prototyped. We present a description of a platform developed by CMC Microsystems and its academic research partners for the development of microsystem prototypes employing microfluidic technology. Implementing such a platform in a modular configuration is one means of addressing the diversity of functional requirements driven by the wide range of microfluidic research interests. The challenge of the developing such a platform is strongly concerned with defining not only a physical layout, but also the interfacial standards between the platform modules. The prototyping environment we describe is termed a ldquoCarrier Platformrdquo as it provides a standard for carrying the various microfluidic devices and signals which comprise the system function.