Reconfigurable microfluidics: Real-time shaping of virtual channels through hydrodynamic forces

Abstract

To break the current paradigm in microfluidics that directly links device design to functionality, we introduce microfluidic “virtual channels” that can be dynamically shaped in real-time. A virtual channel refers to a flow path within a microfluidic flow cell, guiding an injected reagent along a user-defined trajectory solely by hydrodynamic forces. This approach is simple, versatile and generic enough to form the basis of a new class of microfluidic techniques.