Multilevel Homogeneous Detection Analyzer for Medical Diagnostic Application in Digital Microfluidic Biochips

Digital micro fluidic biochips (DMFB) are developed in recent years as a miniaturized platform for medical diagnostic applications. These devices are designed to integrate micro fluidics and embedded electronics using integrated 2D planar electrode arrays for applications in clinical diagnostics and point of care testing. Multiple Bioassay protocols are executed simultaneously within the same device and the resultant droplet is subjected for optical detection at dedicated detection sites within the chip area itself. Optical detection and analysis of samples within a DMFB are considered as major issues in terms of precision and accuracy. In this paper we proposed a design of an automated optical detection based analyzer that enables automated detection and analysis of the detected result with reference to a set of prespecified standard values already preloaded in the device memory. The analysis is enabled on multiple levels to ascertain the intensity of detection. The hardware simulation is carried out on FPGA platform and the test results obtained in the process are found to be in conformance with conventional laboratory procedure.