A programmable microfluidic platform enabling on-demand sampling, compartmentalization, and manipulation of multiple aqueous volumes is presented. The system provides random-access actuation of a microtrap array supporting selective discretization of picoliter volumes from multiple sample inputs. The platform comprises two interconnected chips, with parallel T-junctions and multiplexed microvalves within one chip enabling programmable injection of aqueous sample plugs, and nanoliter volumes transferred to a second microtrap array chip in which the plugs are actively discretized into picoliter droplets within a static array of membrane displacement actuators. The system employs two different multiplexer designs that reduce the number of input signals required for both sample injection and discretization. This versatile droplet-based technology offers flexible sample workflows and functionalities for the formation and manipulation of heterogeneous picoliter droplets, with particular utility for applications in biochemical synthesis and cell-based assays requiring flexible and programmable operation of parallel and multistep droplet processes. The platform is used here for the selective encapsulation of differentially labeled cells within a discrete droplet array.

中文翻译：

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用于多样品进样，离散化和微滴处理的可编程微流控平台。

提出了一种可编程的微流体平台，该平台可按需采样，分隔和处理多个水体积。该系统提供了微阱阵列的随机访问驱动，该微阱阵列支持从多个样品输入中对微微升体积进行选择性离散化。该平台包括两个相互连接的芯片，一个芯片内具有平行的T型结和多路复用的微阀，从而可以对水样塞进行可编程注射，并将纳升的体积转移到第二个微阱阵列芯片中，其中的塞被主动离散为静态阵列内的微微升液滴。膜片位移执行器。该系统采用两种不同的多路复用器设计，可减少样品注入和离散化所需的输入信号数量。这种通用的基于液滴的技术为异型皮升液滴的形成和操作提供了灵活的样品工作流程和功能，特别适用于生化合成和基于细胞的测定，这些测定需要并行和多步液滴过程的灵活且可编程的操作。该平台在这里用于在离散液滴阵列中选择性封装差异标记的细胞。