Small scale fluidic systems have the capability of preforming laboratory scale experiments on a chip, This offers the opportunity to massively reduce reagent costs through scale reduction, but also to conduct experiments which wouldn't otherwise be possible.
We are working on methods of performing tasks such as particle and cell sorting, cell manipulation, assay creation and picolitre droplet dispensing, these technologies offer considerable potential in biodiagnostics and biochemistry. |
The mechanics of structures at small scales can exhibit greatly different properties to that known at large scales, a common example is the extraordinary strength of carbon nanotubes.
To probe microscale material samples we are developing micromanufactured systems for use in conjunction with atomic force microscopes. With such tools a range of sample deflections can be caused, monitored and measured both in terms of deflection and applied load. |
Electrically actuation or sensing of microscale mechanical systems has a huge range of applications. A very well known example is the accelerometers used in airbags or smartphones. At the Laboratory for Micro Systems we are using the facilities offered by the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication to create MEMs devices for biomedical sensing and materials characterisation.
At small scales the dominant forces are frequently different to those at larger scales, an obvious example is in fluid flow, governed at the large scale by inertia and gravity, at small scales viscous forces and surface tension dominate. Due to these scaling related changes the study of micromechanics can lead to the discovery of interesting effects, such as the sorting of particles in the proximity to vibrating bubbles and the jumping of droplets when bubble burst. |
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