PERISTALTIC MICROPUMP AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

1 .- 60 . (canceled)

61 . A peristaltic micropump comprising:

a conduit configured to transfer a pumped fluid; and

an actuator configured to rotate about a central axis, wherein:

the actuator comprises a rolling element and a driving element;

the rolling element is disposed between the conduit and the driving element; and

the driving element and the conduit have a coefficient of friction that is substantially similar.

62 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the driving element and the conduit have coefficients of both elasticity and friction that are substantially similar.

63 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the driving element and the conduit are comprised of a flexible polymeric compound.

64 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the driving element and the conduit are comprised of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

65 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the actuator comprises a rolling element without an axle.

66 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the rolling element is configured to rotate about an axle.

67 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the actuator comprises one or more ball bearings.

68 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the actuator comprises one or more cylindrical rollers.

69 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the actuator comprises one or more conical rollers.

70 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the actuator comprises a plurality of rolling elements.

71 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 70 wherein the driving element comprises a cage configured to capture the plurality of rolling elements.

72 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 70 wherein the plurality of rolling elements are located at substantially the same radius from the center of the cage.

73 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 70 wherein the plurality of rolling elements are located at different radii from the center of the cage.

74 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 70 wherein the actuator comprises a rotating drive mechanism and a centering component configured to center the cage with respect to the rotating drive mechanism.

75 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 further comprising:

one or more conduits configured to transfer one or more pumped fluids, wherein each conduit comprises:

an inlet;

an outlet; and

a central portion between the inlet and the outlet;

wherein the actuator is configured to engage the central portions of the one or more conduits.

76 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 further comprising one or more valves configured to control flow of one or more pumped fluids in the one or more conduits.

77 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 76 wherein a first conduit of the one or more conduits comprises a bypass line configured to allow fluid to flow from the outlet of the first conduit to the inlet of the first conduit.

78 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 76 wherein:

the one or more conduits contains at least a first fluid and a second fluid;

the one or more valves can be opened and closed to control a flow rate of the first and second fluids during operation of the peristaltic micropump; and

the outlets of the one or more conduits are in fluid communication such that the first and second fluids can be mixed in varying proportions.

79 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 76 wherein the one or more conduits are configured to provide sinusoidal or other output concentration waveforms.

80 . The peristaltic micropump of claim 61 wherein the conduit comprises an expanded area configured to reduce pulsatility.