Embedded test & health monitoring strategies for bio-fluidic microystems

A new generation of portable bio-analytical instruments is emerging, in which the analysis is carried out without any (or only minimal) intervention from the operator. To achieve this goal, the system needs to integrate both microfluidics and micro-electronics. The microfluildics are used to extract the sample (bacteria, cells, DNA, etc), carry out the bio-chemistry and deliver the sample to the detector. The micro-electronics is used to provide the sensing function and also to control the microfluid flows. In many applications, the system needs to be highly dependable so as to eliminate false positives or false negatives. This paper describes the design, simulation and validation of an embedded health monitoring system for an electrode array sensor used in cell-based assays. The extension of the health monitoring concept is then applied to a fully integrated bio-fluidic system capable of realizing a complex bio-assay for a portable diagnostic application.