Electrowetting dispensing devices and related methods

1. A method for dispensing liquid for use in biological analysis, the method comprising:

filling a hydrophilic input port with a volume of liquid;

aliquoting a portion of the volume of liquid in the input port via electrowetting;

positioning the aliquot via electrowetting, the positioning comprising aligning the aliquot with one of a plurality of predetermined locations;

dispensing the aligned aliquot from the plurality of predetermined locations through a plurality of openings respectively aligned with the predetermined locations; and

repeating the steps of aliquoting, positioning and dispensing until the volume of liquid in the input port has been dispensed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dividing the liquid into a plurality of individual portions via electrowetting, wherein the positioning comprises aligning each of the plurality of individual portions with the plurality of predetermined locations.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid comprises dispensing the aligned liquid through a plurality of openings of a plurality of nozzles.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising spotting the liquid to a testing platform via the plurality of nozzles.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid includes dispensing the liquid through the plurality of openings to a plurality of reservoirs.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to the plurality of reservoirs comprises centrifuging the liquid into the reservoirs.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs coated with a hydrophilic material.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the aligned liquid to the plurality of reservoirs via electrowetting.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to the plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs coated with a layer of electrically conductive material and a layer of hydrophobic material.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs via electrowetting comprises dispensing the liquid to a plurality of wells in a titer plate via electrowetting.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the liquid via capillarity.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reservoirs comprise hydrophilic capillary tubes.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the liquid via electrophoresis.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the liquid to a plurality of wells in a titer plate.

15. A method for dispensing liquid for use in biological analysis, the method comprising:

supplying a liquid to be dispensed to a housing comprising an interior surface;

altering a wettability of the interior surface so as to divide the liquid in the housing into a plurality of individual portions of liquid and to move the plurality of individual portions of liquid to a plurality of respective predetermined locations;

dispensing the plurality of individual portions of liquid from the plurality of predetermined locations through a plurality of openings respectively aligned with a plurality of wells on a testing device clamped to the housing.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the interior surface comprises an electrical conductor.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the interior surface comprises a dielectric covering an electrical conductor.

18. A method for dispensing liquid for use in biological analysis, the method comprising:

filling a hydrophilic input port with a volume of liquid;

dividing the volume of liquid in the input port into a plurality of individual portion via electrowetting;

moving the plurality of individual portions via electrowetting so as to align the individual portions with a plurality of predetermined locations; and

moving the aligned liquid via electrowetting from the plurality of predetermined locations to a plurality of reservoirs aligned with the predetermined locations.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the moving the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises moving the aligned liquid to a plurality of nozzle reservoirs.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising dispensing the liquid from the plurality of nozzle reservoirs to a plurality of locations on a testing platform.