Design of an electrowetting biosensor prototype controlling microfluidic droplet movement for isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays

Abstract

"In this paper, the functioning and the operation of an electrowetting device to manipulate droplets is described. The prototype is built on a printed circuit board (PCB) and consists of an electrode array selected and energized by a microcontroller or switches. Each electrode can be manipulated to perform the sequence of steps required to carry out isothermal amplification. Laboratory tests have shown that droplets of 15 ?L can be moved on the PCB surface. The system efficiency depends on the hydrophobic surface and the voltage applied to the electrodes as well as the switching frequency of the electrodes. This device is the first prototype of the desired biosensor under development."