Patent ID: 7582263

Claim:
An apparatus comprising a universal interface, wherein the universal interface comprises: a chip interface, wherein the chip interface receives a microfluidic chip, and wherein the chip interface has a first face at which it receives at least one of fluid and electrical energy; a docking station, wherein the docking station receives the chip interface, and wherein the docking station facilitates: the coupling of an external source of fluid to the first face of the chip interface; and the coupling of an external source of electrical energy to the first face of the chip interface; and a fluidic interface, wherein the fluidic interface is received by the docking station, and wherein the fluidic interface comprises: an inlet face at which the fluidic interface receives fluid from the external source of fluid; and an outlet face at which the fluidic interface delivers the fluid to the first face of the chip interface, wherein the inlet face and the outlet face of the fluidic interface are orthogonal to each other.