Method and Apparatus for Programmable Fluidic Processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus for programmably manipulating a packet, the apparatus comprising:
 a fluidic device comprising a reaction surface and an array, the array comprising a plurality of elements that are individually addressable along arbitrarily chosen paths about the reaction surface;   a signal generator configured to apply electrical signals to the elements to generate electrical field distributions and impart manipulation forces on a packet to programmably move the packet about the reaction surface; and   a controller coupled to the signal generator and configured to adjust the programmable manipulation forces.   
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 a memory coupled to and accessible by the controller, the memory storing a plurality of subroutines for programmably manipulating a packet about the reaction surface.   
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 a position sensor configured to detect a position of a packet on the reaction surface.   
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , where the controller is coupled to the position sensor and configured to adjust the programmable manipulation forces according to the position. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , where the position sensor comprises a conductor configured to measure an electrical impedance of the packet. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , where the array and the position sensor are integral. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , where the position sensor comprises an optical system configured to monitor the position of the packet. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , where the fluidic device comprises an integrated circuit that includes the elements of the array. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , where the integrated circuit comprises an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that includes the controller. 
     
     
         51 . An apparatus for programmably manipulating a packet, the apparatus comprising:
 a fluidic device comprising a reaction surface and an array, the array comprising a plurality of elements that are individually addressable;   a signal generator configured to apply electrical signals to the elements to generate electrical field distributions and impart manipulation forces on a packet to programmably move the packet about the reaction surface;   a controller coupled to the signal generator and configured to adjust the programmable manipulation forces; and   a memory coupled to the controller, the memory storing a plurality of subroutines for programmably manipulating a packet about the reaction surface.   
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of claim  60 , further comprising:
 a position sensor configured to detect a position of a packet on the reaction surface.