Microfluidic Device for Infection Testing
Disciplines
Biomedical | Electrical and Computer Engineering | Electrical and Electronics | Health Information Technology | Public Health
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This research focuses on the early detection of viral infections. We propose a method that utilizes magnetically tagged antigens, which are transported through a microfluidic solenoid channel by a neodymium magnet. The induced voltage signal, measured at the nanovolt scale, presents the indication of viral presence, potentially allowing for detection prior to the conventional testing methods. Building upon previous studies, our work simulates the dynamic motion of the magnetic beads by integrating magnetic fields with structural mechanics, resulting in more precise outcomes. We use COMSOL Multiphysics to conduct these simulations, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed approach. In addition to the proposed magnet, the redesigned circuit is an iteration that turns our previous wide-band dual-stage circuit into a precise, three-stage active low pass amplifier. Each LTC2050 stage provides a gain of -100 with 0.39 microfarad capacitors, forming cascaded first-order filters with an overall -3 dB cutoff near 20 Hz and overall gain of
106106
volts/volt. These improvements produced higher signal to noise ratio and enhanced output amplitudes, eliminating the need for digital signal processing. To manufacture the solenoid, the winding apparatus we developed automated the process of winding a 50 nanometer thick copper wire around a 170 micrometer thick optical fiber, a precise task that could not be done manually. We achieved the winding of the optical fiber using 2 stepper motors: one rotated the spindle holding the fiber, the other incrementally translated the stage after each full rotation to control coil pitch and direction. This coordinated sequence repeated for 25 full iterations, which produced a uniform, tightly wrapped coil along the fiber’s surface. The automation ensured repeatable, high-quality winding suitable for micro-fluidic detection. Additionally, AI was used in the creation of this abstract to verify and correct writing errors as well as fact-check information.
Use of AI Disclaimer
yes
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET – Electrical and Computer Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Hoseon Lee
Microfluidic Device for Infection Testing
This research focuses on the early detection of viral infections. We propose a method that utilizes magnetically tagged antigens, which are transported through a microfluidic solenoid channel by a neodymium magnet. The induced voltage signal, measured at the nanovolt scale, presents the indication of viral presence, potentially allowing for detection prior to the conventional testing methods. Building upon previous studies, our work simulates the dynamic motion of the magnetic beads by integrating magnetic fields with structural mechanics, resulting in more precise outcomes. We use COMSOL Multiphysics to conduct these simulations, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposed approach. In addition to the proposed magnet, the redesigned circuit is an iteration that turns our previous wide-band dual-stage circuit into a precise, three-stage active low pass amplifier. Each LTC2050 stage provides a gain of -100 with 0.39 microfarad capacitors, forming cascaded first-order filters with an overall -3 dB cutoff near 20 Hz and overall gain of
106106
volts/volt. These improvements produced higher signal to noise ratio and enhanced output amplitudes, eliminating the need for digital signal processing. To manufacture the solenoid, the winding apparatus we developed automated the process of winding a 50 nanometer thick copper wire around a 170 micrometer thick optical fiber, a precise task that could not be done manually. We achieved the winding of the optical fiber using 2 stepper motors: one rotated the spindle holding the fiber, the other incrementally translated the stage after each full rotation to control coil pitch and direction. This coordinated sequence repeated for 25 full iterations, which produced a uniform, tightly wrapped coil along the fiber’s surface. The automation ensured repeatable, high-quality winding suitable for micro-fluidic detection. Additionally, AI was used in the creation of this abstract to verify and correct writing errors as well as fact-check information.