Enabling Microfluidics: from Clean Rooms to Makerspaces

The traditional requirement for clean rooms and specialized skills has inhibited many biologists from pursuing new microfluidic innovations. Makerspaces provide a growing alternative to clean rooms: they provide low-cost access to fabrication equipment such as laser cutters, plotter cutters, and 3D...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.) 2017-05, Vol.35 (5), p.383-392
Main Authors: Walsh, David I, Kong, David S, Murthy, Shashi K, Carr, Peter A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adhesives
Biocompatibility
Biology
Biotechnology - instrumentation
Biotechnology - organization & administration
Cleanrooms
Communities
Construction materials
Cutters
Environment, Controlled
Equipment costs
Equipment Design - methods
Equipment Failure Analysis - methods
Fabrication
Facility Design and Construction - methods
Internal Medicine
Lasers
Manufacturing
Methods
Microfluidics
Microfluidics - instrumentation
Microfluidics - organization & administration
Plastics
Polymers
Printers
Prototyping
Rapid prototyping
Three dimensional printing
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Summary:The traditional requirement for clean rooms and specialized skills has inhibited many biologists from pursuing new microfluidic innovations. Makerspaces provide a growing alternative to clean rooms: they provide low-cost access to fabrication equipment such as laser cutters, plotter cutters, and 3D printers; use commercially available materials; and attract a diverse community of product designers. This Opinion discusses the materials, tools, and building methodologies particularly suited for developing novel microfluidic devices in these spaces, with insight into biological applications and leveraging the maker community. The lower barrier to access of makerspaces ameliorates the otherwise poor accessibility and scalability of microfluidic prototyping.
ISSN:0167-7799
1879-3096
1879-3096
DOI:10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.01.001