In 2021 in Japan, we launched an innovative micro-dosing system of medicine for postoperative pain control, that is COOPDECH AmyPCA. AmyPCA is very compact and user-friendly-designed dosing/patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system operated with a smartphone. This compact dosing system has been accepted for postoperative pain control due to its higher portability and smart operation system to improve “Quality-of-Life” of patients as well as good pain management. We have widely supplied AmyPCA in the Japanese market for 2021 so far, now we are promoting the product to spread in the European market. Such an innovative dosing system has been achieved by piezoelectric-actuated metal micropump based on metal MEMS and diffusion bonding technology under the research collaboration with Fraunhofer EMFT, which enables robust and compact pump with low manufacturing cost. And this micropump is a diaphragm pump that has a chamber of nanoliter volume, and it makes constant flowrate by periodic push/pull stroke of its diaphragm actuated by piezoelectrically generated force. Then, the metal micropump makes it possible to precisely control the flowrate of drug administration at nanoliter level. Hence, these key features of compact and precise dosing by the micropump have the wide range of possibility for medical dosing applications, and we are going to next challenges on the state-of-the-arts dosing system, such as proximal dosing system during the medical operation and insulin patch pump for home healthcare field. In this talk, I introduce key features of metal micropump succeeded as micro-dosing system of AmyPCA, and show you our next challenges of new micro-dosing systems.
Organ-on-chip (OoC) technology is rapidly being established as a valid approach to develop in-vitro models of human (patho)physiology of unprecedented relevance. Advances in the technology involve co-development of the biological substrates and the design of supporting hardware enabling microfluidic perfusion, actuation and sensing. In this lecture, I will present the state of the art in OoC platforms, and introduce the perspective of fully-electric OoCs meant to foster ease of use, adoption and reproducibility of the technology. I will argue that virtually all relevant functions in OoCs can be driven and controlled electrically, and exemplify that this is best achieved by a seamless integration of electric and fluidic layers in the architecture of the platforms.
Improving the performance and understanding of complex fluidic systems is a focal point for researchers in industry and academia. Machine learning (ML) stands out as a promising solution, offering unparalleled opportunities to propel knowledge generation and accelerate optimizations in microfluidics. From refining process optimization and predictive modeling, to device design optimization, automated experimentation, and advanced data analysis, ML is reshaping the landscape of microfluidic research. Despite the evident advantages of ML in microfluidics, its implementation has faced challenges, particularly with the limited performance of predictive algorithms operating on small datasets. Additionally, the absence of user-friendly interfaces has posed barriers for scientists across disciplines. SuntheticsML introduces an enhanced Bayesian optimization (BO) approach, enabling a chemistry-agnostic pathway for designing and implementing intelligent experimental campaigns. SuntheticsML is an accessible online ML platform tailored for researchers without coding or ML expertise. Moreover, scientists can upload data from as few as 5 experiments and instantly leverage ML-distilled insights for enhanced reaction understanding and smart experimental campaigns. The approach demonstrates compelling returns on material and experimental efficiency, enabling up to 32x faster R&D and optimizations, as well as 9-12% increase in previously-optimized systems. Recognizing the limitations and opportunities of ML as a catalyst for innovation is key as the field moves towards the integration of ML into microfluidic research. Technologies that provide easy access and effective ML analysis will play a pivotal role advancing microfluidics into an era of accelerated and intelligent R&D with deeper understanding of fluidic behaviors at the microscale
How can chemistry, process intensification, applied physics and engineering contribute to reducing painful needle-based injections? I will share salient moments on an ongoing quest to develop a needle-free injection technology, using lasers and microfluidics [1].
In the BuBble Gun project (https://bubble-gun.eu) we make high speed microjets with thermocavitation: laser-driven evaporation of the liquid inside a microchannel, creates rapidly expanding bubbles that generate jets through flow focusing.
We have studied the impact and traversing of such jets on pendant liquid droplets, and other skin surrogate materials [2-3]. The jets can reach velocities in the order of 100 m/s, with diameters ranging from 50-120 µm. We have used controlling techniques such as additives modifying liquid properties, and demonstrated that changing the wetting properties of the microchannels gives a better control over jetting phenomena. The combination of microchannel geometry and coating on its inner surfaces influences the jet breakup, the resulting drop size distribution, the trajectory of the jet tip, and the consistency of jet characteristics across trials [4].
A typical thermocavitation-induced injection takes less than 1 ms, and it can be repeated for delivering with precise control over volumes (pL to mL) and penetration depths (mm to mm). Our results increase the knowledge of the jet interaction with materials of well-known physical properties, and it is being applied to better control injections in real tissue, e.g., skin.
Lastly, I am excited to present progress in the commercialization of BuBble Gun’s technology via the academic start-up FlowBeams, based on the novel framework ‘Knowledge, Persuasiveness and Empathy’ [5].
[1] Schoppink J, Rivas DF. Jet injectors: Perspectives for small volume delivery with lasers. Advanced drug delivery reviews. 2022 Mar 1;182:114109.
[2] Quetzeri-Santiago MA, Rivas DF. Cavity dynamics after the injection of a microfluidic jet onto capillary bridges. Soft matter. 2023;19(2):245-57.
[3] van der Ven DL, Morrone D, Quetzeri-Santiago MA, Rivas DF. Microfluidic jet impact: Spreading, splashing, soft substrate deformation and injection. Journal of colloid and interface science. 2023 Apr 15;636:549-58.
[4] Schoppink JJ, Mohan K, Quetzeri-Santiago MA, McKinley G, Rivas DF, Dickerson AK. Cavitation-induced microjets tuned by channels with alternating wettability patterns. Physics of Fluids. 2023 Mar 1;35(3).
[5] Rivas, D.F. "Empathic Entrepreneurial Engineering." De Gruyter, 2022.