Digital microfluidic biochips : design automation and optimization Microfluidics based biochips combine electronics with biochemistry providing access to new application areas in a wide variety of fields. Continued technological innovations are essential to assuring the future role of these chips in functional diversification in biotech pharmaceuticals and other industries. Microfluidic Biochips: Design Automation and Optimization comprehensively covers the appropriate design tools and in system automation methods that will help users adapt to new technology and progress in chip design and manufacturing. Based on results from several Duke University research projects on design automation for biochips this book uses real life bioassays as examples to lay out an outomated design flow for creating microfluidic biochips. It also develops solutions to the unique problems associated with the process. In addition to covering automated design the authors provide a detailed methodology for the testing use and optimization of robust cost efficient manufacturable digital microfluidic systems used in protein crystallization and other areas. The authors present specialized pin constrained design techniques for making biochips with a focus on cost and disposability. They also discuss chip testing to ensure dependability which is key to optimizing safety critical applications such as point of care medical diagnostics on chip DNA analysis automated drug discovery air quality monitoring and food safety testing. This book is an optimal reference for academic and industrial researchers in the areas of digital microfluidic biochips and electronic design automation. Book jacket