In addition, there are unknown factors involved, especially concerning microscale heat transfer and mass transfer, the nature of which only further research can reveal. The volumes involved in microfluidics can be understood by visualizing the size of a one-liter container, and then imagining cubical fractions of this container. A liter is slightly more than one U.S. fluid quart. That cube would occupy 1 nl. It would take a powerful microscope to resolve that.
Microfluidic systems have diverse and widespread potential applications.
Not surprisingly, the medical industry has shown keen interest in microfluidics technology. Also see nanotechnology . The Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center has a Microfluidics Yellow Page.