A generic chip-to-world fluidic interconnect system for microfluidic devices

In the recent years, there has been considerable research interest in microfluidic devices which are based on the single or multiphase flow of liquids and gases through micro-scale channels or systems fabricated by micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Due to their ability to perform complex, multiple tasks with biochemicals, such devices have many applications, especially in the biomedicine area and are expected to continue generating interest. However, due to the need for handling micro-scale flow of liquids and the diverse nature of microfluidic devices, some of the major challenges in their development are the establishment of chip-to-world fluidic interconnects and device packaging. This paper reports on the development of a generic fluidic interconnect methodology based on assembly and plugging-in of the components. This approach greatly simplifies the currently difficult task of implementing fluidic connections and provides an integration capability that facilitates the experimental development of microfluidic devices.