Electrified Lab-on-a-Disc

Abstract: Lab-on-a-Disc (centrifugal microfluidic) devices are a tool that enables the efficient automation and parallelisation of complex laboratory work-flows in a miniaturised format. The integration of such operations can improve, or at least facilitate, the way we currently perceive diagnosis and analysis of samples in fields like medicine.

Due to great advances seen in the last decades, this field has caught the attention of more and more international research groups. However, most of these devices are laboratory prototypes still far from being commercialised as massively produced products ready to become workhorse diagnostic devices. One could speculate about multiple causes for this situation, nevertheless, there is an indisputable one: the lack of miniaturisation, compactness and portability of all that surrounds the microfluidic device like the extra equipment required for detection and active manipulation of the sample.

What users expect are complete miniaturised systems that do not require external instrumentation to operate and deliver a result. While most Lab-on-a-Chip devices use external pumps, Lab-on-a-Disc devices do not, however they are under rotation, which is a characteristic inherent to their working principle. As anyone can foresee, power and signal cables cannot be connected to a rotating system, because they will twist, entangled, and finally, brake or disconnect. Hence, hampering the integration of actuators and/or detectors into the system for a sensitive, reliable, time-independent, fast, in direct and continuous interaction with the microfluidic disc while spinning and, thereby, limiting the success of Lab-on-a-Disc systems.

This thesis presents the development of an electrified Lab-on-a-Disc platform, by introducing wireless power transmission into the system. The platform was designed and fabricated to behave as a power receiver compatible with the Qi standard, better known for charging smartphones wirelessly. The platform comprises an Arduino microcontroller, an SD-Card and a Bluetooth module that provide enough computational power, data acquisition, and real-time bidirectional communication capabilities for most envisaged applications at a minimum cost and space. The inclusion of those modules renders a flexible platform, easy to operate for most users and compatible with concurrently emerging trends and standard technologies, which in the long-run will reduce the time and cost spent on its maintenance.

As any laboratory that operates on basic and specialised equipment, the capabilities of the platform can be augmented by the addition of a plug-compatible electronic board containing the application-specific sensors and actuators. Such scheme leads to a higher degree of interaction and enables more sophisticated concepts to be implemented both in the control as well as in the readout. The performance of the platform was tested under different scenarios when implemented to applications that otherwise would have been executed in a discontinuous operation modality. For instance, full integration and continuous detection of chemiluminescence was rendered possible, as well as the activation of valves on demand, in a time and rotational speed-independent sequence.

The concept proposed here offers a lightweight, low-cost and re-usable platform that co-rotates with the microfluidic disc providing it with new capabilities, while requiring minimal modification to the architecture of a spin-stand or a portable Lab-on-a-Disc instrument for its integration. This assembly could be easily available at mobile diagnostic and analysis stations

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Universität Freiburg, Dissertation, 2018

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Elektrotechnik, Elektronik
• Keyword: Automation

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2019
• Creator: Torres Delgado, Sarai M.
• Contributor: Korvink, Jan G. ; Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. Fakultät für Angewandte Wissenschaften

Further information

• DOI: 10.6094/UNIFR/16996
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-169962
• Rights: Kein Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 10:47 AM CEST