Patent ID: 7883669
Filing Date: 2011-02-08
Classification: B01L,C12Q,G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An automated system for processing one or more entities, the system comprising: an automation table; one or more microfluidic devices, the one or more microfluidic devices comprising one or more inlets and a plurality of reaction chambers in fluid communication with the one or more inlets, wherein a number of the plurality of reaction chambers is greater than a number of the one or more inlets; a robot device comprising a robot arm disposed on the automation table, the robot arm being capable of accessing one or more work stations on the automation table, the robot arm being adapted to transfer the one or more microfluidic devices from a first spatial location to a second spatial location; an input device coupled to the one or more work stations, the input device being adapted to receive one or more microfluidic devices from a user; an output device coupled to one or more work stations, the output device being adapted to output the one or more microfluidic devices to a user; an image capturing workstation coupled between the input device and the output device, the image capturing workstation being adapted to capture one or more images of at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of reaction chambers and any contents therein of one of the one or more microfluidic devices; and a fluidic controller unit including a platform having a receiving bay configured to receive the one or more microfluidic devices, wherein the fluidic controller unit is in communication with the one or more inlets of the one or more microfluidic devices, wherein the fluidic controller unit includes a platen having a platen face and an actuator configured to join the platen and the one or more microfluidic devices to form a seal between the platen face and the one or more microfluidic devices, the one or more inlets being adapted to provide, in response to fluid pressure provided by the fluidic controller unit, one or more inputs into the plurality of reaction chambers to manipulate one or more processes being carried out in at least one of the plurality of reaction chambers in the one or more microfluidic devices.