Pressing the buttons allows the device to be programmed for specific tests
George Whitesides and colleagues at Harvard University have developed a paper-based microfluidic device that can be programmed to carry out any test the user wants.
Read the article via the Lab on a Chip homepage.
Devices made from simple materials such as paper have great potential in developing countries, as they are cheap and easy to use. The paper is soaked in a polymer solution and cured using light to create a network of channels.
Whitesides’ new programmable 3D device can be activated using the humble ballpoint pen.
To find out how, and also why it ‘brings another layer of sophistication to microfluidic devices’, read David Barden’s full story at Highlights in Chemical Technology.
