Software controlled lab-on-a-chip emulation
View Patent ↗A software-controlled chemical process emulation system and environment having individually-addressable and/or group-addressable software-controlled chemical system processing modules, software-controlled chemical system handling modules, and related components. The software-controlled modules may be designed and interconnected to emulate various fixed, configurable, and reconfigurable “Lab-on-a-Chip” (“LoC”) devices. The software-controlled modules may be designed as separate units with well-defined ports and interfaces that can be used in the construction of larger systems. Alternatively, the software-controlled modules may be integrated into more complex subsystems that can be used in similar or other ways. These aspects may be used to design a LoC device, develop software for the operation of a LoC device, or may be used together with actual LoC devices as part of a larger system. Some applications may be used to implement laboratory automation features in experimental set-ups and laboratory-scale chemical production.
1. A system for emulating a lab-on-a-chip design, the system comprising:
a plurality of electrically-powered controllable chemical process modules, the chemical process modules being of laboratory lattice-scale, each chemical process module for implementing at least one chemical reaction and comprising
at least one chemical flow input port,
at least one chemical flow output port,
at least one communications interface employing a communications protocol and receiving communications signals, and
at least one electrically controllable element responsive to received communications signals;
chemical flow interconnections among at least a first and a second of the chemical process modules, the chemical flow interconnections comprising a chemical flow path connecting the chemical flow output port of a first chemical process module with a second chemical process module; and
a network for carrying communications signals, the network connecting with the communications interface of the first chemical process module and with the communications interface of the second chemical process module, the network additionally providing a connection to a data processor, the data processor for executing algorithms for controlling the at least one electrically controllable element of each of the first and second chemical process modules;
wherein the chemical process modules are controlled by an algorithm executed by the data processor to emulate aspects of at least one lab-on-a-chip;
wherein each chemical process module is configured to be addressed via the at least one communications interface to implement the algorithm;
wherein the chemical process modules and the chemical flow interconnections perform a chemical process that emulates aspects of the at least one lab-on-a-chip using the algorithm and numerical models;
wherein the chemical process modules, the chemical flow interconnections, and the algorithm are configured to be reconfigurable to emulate at least portions of more than one type of lab-on-a-chip.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of chemical process modules is configured to be mounted on standard laboratory stands.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of chemical process modules is configured to be mounted on standard laboratory lattices.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of chemical process modules is configured to permit hand customizations.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one chemical flow input port of the first of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules supports fluid flow.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one chemical flow input port of the first of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules supports gas flow.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one chemical flow input port of the first of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules supports mixed-media flow.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one chemical flow input port of the first of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules supports vapor flow.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications network comprises a sequential daisy-chain interconnection among the first and the second controllable chemical process modules.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications protocol comprises self-clocking bidirectional serial communications.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications protocol operates on a parallel communications bus.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules is configured to include a temperature sensor.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules is configured to support clearing through use of a clearing gas.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules is configured to support cleaning through use of a cleaning solvent.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules includes at least one LED configured to show valve flow status.
16. The system of claim 1 wherein the first chemical process module and the second chemical process module comprise separated physical mounting arrangements.
17. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first electrically-powered controllable chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules comprises a motorized fluidic mixer.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first electrically-powered controllable chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules comprises an electrically-operated pump.
19. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first electrically-powered controllable chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules comprises an electrically-operated valve.
20. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first electrically-powered controllable chemical process module of the plurality of controllable chemical process modules comprises a reaction chamber.