Scalable industrial manuacture and automated design flow for prototype multi-sample microfluidic analysis instrument for biomolecular samples (Phase I)

在许多对加拿大人的健康和福祉至关重要的领域，如环境监测、医疗诊断、食品安全、法医学和基础生物研究，进行生物分子和化学检测的能力至关重要。越来越需要快速、准确和廉价的仪器，用于具有高通量的样品操作，以检测来自以下的试剂：1）许多样品;和/或2）单个样品中的多种试剂。目前，这种大规模的分析是使用缓慢的传统实验室技术或大型桌面系统进行的。 我们之前已经提出了uROAMS：一个微流控，可重构的现场分析仪，用于多重样品，这是一种新的方法来解决高通量的便携性问题，通过合并电子控制的功能材料的微流控与国家的最先进的现场可编程技术。我们以前已经开发了uROAMS的使能技术，该技术采用基于可重构微流体互连的微流体多路复用装置。基于我们在早期技术开发中取得的巨大成功，我们现在寻求联合收割机并改进这些技术，以提供由经验丰富的制造商和最终用户指导的可销售的原型。 该提案的主要目标是：1）通过开发必要的材料和方法来生产商业化原型，以实现可靠，统一的大规模生产和操作; 2）改进原型的软件方面，以考虑这些新材料和方法，并提供运行时控制和商业上可行的模拟器。该装置将是便携式的，通用的，最重要的是，与基于其他技术的其他微流体设备不同，它可以轻松扩展到更大数量的样品和测试。这一新装置将带来颠覆性的模块化商业产品，在多个市场领域应用，而这些应用尚未使用基于其他微流体和控制技术的设备实现。

In many fields of importance to Canadians' health and well-being, such as environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, food safety, forensics, and basic biological research, the ability to perform biomolecular and chemical detection is of paramount importance. There is a growing need for fast, accurate, and inexpensive instruments for sample manipulation with high-throughput for detection of agents from: 1) many samples; and/or 2) multiple agents in a single sample. Currently, such large-scale analysis is performed using slow, conventional lab techniques or large table-top systems. We have previously proposed uROAMS: a Microfluidic, Reconfigurable On-site Analyser for Multiplexed Samples, which is a new approach to the high-throughput portability problem solved by merging electronically controlled functional materials for microfluidics with state-of-the-art field programmable technology. We have previously developed enabling technologies for uROAMS that employ microfluidic multiplexing devices based on reconfigurable microfluidic interconnect. Building on our substantial successes during early-stage technology development, we now seek to combine and improve these technologies to provide a marketable prototype guided by experienced manufacturers and end-users. The main objectives of the proposal are: 1) produce a commercialization-ready prototype by developing the necessary materials and methods to enable reliable, uniform mass production and operation; and 2) improve the software aspects of the prototype to consider these new materials and methods and provide runtime control and a commercially viable simulator. The unit will be portable, generic, and, most importantly and unlike other microfluidic devices based on other technologies, be easily scalable to a much larger number of samples and tests. This new unit will lead to a disruptive modular commercial product with applications in multiple market sectors that has not yet been achieved using devices based on other microfluidics and control technologies.