title: All-terrain droplet actuation.
abstract: Digital microfluidics has become a popular tool for biochemical and biomedical applications. However, its current format is restricted to actuation of droplets on a single plane. Here, we introduce a new method for fluid handling on flexible devices, which we have termed all-terrain droplet actuation (ATDA). We show that ATDA can be used to manipulate droplets across a wide range of geometries, including inclined, declined, vertical, twisted, and upside-down architectures. These new geometries enable flexible, straightforward integration of distinct physicochemical environments on monolithic devices. To illustrate this capacity, we developed temperature- and oxygen-sensitive colorimetric sensors, as well as an automated method for selective enrichment of DNA from a heterogeneous mixture. We anticipate that ATDA will be a useful new tool in the growing trend toward laboratory miniaturization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdelgawad
authors.forename: Sergio L S
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Aaron R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wheeler
mesh_terms: D003124:Colorimetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D010100:Oxygen