An open software platform for the automated design of paper-based microfluidic devices.
Mace, Charles R.
DeChiara, Nicholas S.
Wilson, Daniel J.
2017
- Paper-based microfluidic devices are an attractive platform for the development of analytical tests. These devices are extremely low-cost (pennies per device) and have many exciting applications in point-of-care medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring, among others. However, their development and design is a tedious and error-prone process that involves significant investments of time, ... read moreparticularly in the manufacturing and prototyping of devices produced from multiple layers of paper. Here, we present a cross-platform, open-source software tool—AutoPAD, for automated design of paper analytical devices—developed to accurately and quickly create and modify device designs. This freely-available program provides an alternative to commercially-available design software that are commonly used in this field at a cost of hundreds to thousands of dollars per license. Similar to other open-source scientific software (e.g., ImageJ and Jmol), we make the source code for AutoPAD free to use and modify. This approach supports our goals to (i) reduce costs associated with starting and maintaining research laboratories in the field of paper-based diagnostics and (ii) enable new opportunities for researchers for whom costs of other design software may be prohibitive (e.g., high school students and laboratories in developing economies). Further, if device designs are commonly accessible and sharable, which is possible using AutoPAD text file outputs, a significant hurdle to information sharing and collaboration between international laboratories may be overcomeread less
- Scientific Reports 7, 16224 (2017)
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- ks65hq18v
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