Modular microfluidics workstation controller 
This repository contains the free and open-source design and documentation for the brain of a microfluidics workstation to enable high-throughput droplet microfluidic biological assays. The design contains an electronics board "hat" that plugs onto a Raspberry Pi single-board computer and interfaces with our compact modules e.g. for gas-pressure control to push microfluidic samples onto chips, pressure, and flow measurement with feedback control, sample holders with heating and stirring, and imaging of fast droplet generation processes with open-source microscopy and stroboscopic illumination
Our aim is to create a prototype of a compact working station that is based on connectable, open, modern, and low-cost components (Rasberry Pi, Arduino, 3D printing, on-board components, open or at least accessible design software and operation software - python). This workstation is aimed to be fully functional research-grade equipment with good specifications, such as fast reaction times and low-pressure fluctuations. It is modular so that parts of the workstation can be repurposed and improved in the open-source hardware sense and easily combined, exchanged, or used independently in challenging environments such as an anaerobic chamber.
This is an open, collaborative project by the Wenzel Lab in Chile, and your participation (comments, inputs, contributions) are explicitly welcome! Please submit your message as an issue in this repository to participate.
Please Note: This technical index is very much under construction and is at present an incomplete summary of the various documents that exist elsewhere in the Open Microfluidics Workstation repositories on GitHub and elsewhere.
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Usage
- Assembly instructions
Applications
- This controller powers the strobe-enhanced microscopy stage see also it's repository
Design files and source code
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Hardware designs
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Software source code
- Microfluidics workstation server (This code runs on the built-in Raspberry Pi and includes the web application for the user interface.
Modules Wish List
- Microfluidic droplet sorting workstation driven by the droplet workstation tools is described here (This is being developed in a separate repository).
- High-pressure source module in sub-repository
- Anaerobic chamber module (this module might have its own repository)
Please Note: There is also a previous general open-source microfluidics repository with re-builds and design considerations.
Contribute
Feel free to dive in! Open an issue. For interactions in our team and with the community applies the GOSH Code of Conduct.
License
CERN OHL 2W © Tobias Wenzel, Christie Nel, and Pierre Padilla-Huamantinco. This project is Open Source Hardware - please acknowledge us when using the hardware or sharing modifications.