Project Abstract

ISSYS proposes to develop a family of high-precision bio-fluidic products based on a micromachined Coriolis Sensor - a microtube 1/3rd the size of a human hair that can measure mass flow rates as low as 1 micro-gram/second, or more than 100 times lower than possible with any other technique. Coriolis-force-based micromachined flow meters possess many desirable features including: measurement of low mass flow rates, high sensitivity, high accuracy, fast response time, small fluid flow volume, direct mass flow measurement, low power consumption, small sensor size, simple fabrication process, batch fabrication capability, excellent stability, potential for integration with on-chip fluidic control valves and tubes, significantly lower cost, and insensitivity to secondary parameters (e.g., temperature, corrosion, tube buildup, etc.). Functional research prototypes have been demonstrated; however, more work is required prior to any commercialization efforts. This work includes the establishment of biocompatibility, optimization of sensor mechanical designs, refinements to the fabrication process, creation of device packaging, development of drive and readout electronics, and the development of testing and characterization capabilities for real-time and accelerated life-time testing. Anticipated applications include pharmaceutical implantable and external drug delivery systems, infusion systems, drug development equipment, lab-on-chip hardware, compact diagnostic systems, and micro-chromatography systems. This proposal centers on the development of pre-manufacturing Micro-Coriolis mass flow sensors, but the technology also yields early and later rounds of products, including stand alone micro-density meters followed by a multi-parameter fluidic analysis lab on chip, which integrates flow, pressure, density, viscosity, and temperature sensors, with pneumatic valves for local feedback fluid control and manipulation. This chip will be capable of simultaneous measurement of several fluid parameters as well as the manipulation and control of microscopic quantities of fluids, potentially replacing the 3 to 4 separate instruments needed to collect this data and control the fluids.

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