MULTI-CHANNEL CHEMICAL TRANSPORT BUS PROVIDING SHORT-DURATION BURST TRANSPORT FOR MICROFLUIDIC AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

摘要

A controllable multiple-channel chemical transport bus providing routing and transport of fluids, gasses, aerosols, slurries and the like within a larger system. The system and methods are applicable for use in Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) technology, and can be useful in the implementation of reconfigurable LoC devices. Routes through the bus are determined by control signals and/or sequences of control signals issued under algorithmic control. Several independent flows may occur simultaneously. Adaptations of Clos, Banyan, and other related multi-stage switching architectures in the flow topology can be supported. The controllable multiple-channel chemical transport bus can be configured to support chemical flow durations short enough that the chemical flow at a first chemical flow port ends at a time before the chemical flow is first received at a second chemical flow port. Sensors may be placed at various locations along bus line segments and may be used in timing of the flows.