Dynamic Radial Placement and Routing in Paper Microfluidics

Abstract

The low cost, simplicity, and ease of use of paper microfluidic devices have made them valuable medical diagnostics for applications from pregnancy testing to COVID-19 screening. Meanwhile, the increasing complexity of paper-based microfluidic devices is driving the need to produce new tools and methodologies that enable more robust biological diagnostics and potential therapeutic applications. A new design framework is being used to facilitate both research and fabrication of paper-based microfluidic biological devices to accelerate the investigative process and reduce material utilization and manpower. In this work we present a methodology for this framework to dynamically place and route microfluidic components in a nondiscrete design space where fluid volume usage, surface area utilization, and the timing required to perform specified biological assays are accounted for and optimized while also accelerating the development of potentially lifesaving new devices.