scientists-combine-conventional-robotics-and-microfluids

Robots are often equipped with moving arms, many times programmed and used to carry out a variety of tasks in factories. These types of robots have traditionally had little association with miniature systems that transport small amounts of liquid through fine capillaries. These systems, known as microfluidics or lab-on-a-chip, usually use external pumps to move liquid through the chips. However, they have traditionally proved difficult to automate, and the chips need to be custom-designed and manufactured to each specific application. But now, a team of researchers led by ETH Professor Daniel Ahmed are combining conventional robotics and microfluidics.