Acoustic-based automated manipulation of particles for biological applications

Abstract

Acoustic-based techniques have emerged as a promising avenue for the precise manipulation of particles, combining the disciplines of acoustics, physics, and biotechnology. Utilizing sound waves, this method allows for the gentle, non-invasive movement and positioning of particles, from minute biological entities to larger synthetic materials. Such automated manipulation harnesses the intricacies of acoustic radiation forces and streaming, offering advantages in terms of scalability, precision, and integration into various systems. As biotechnological demands grow, the potential of acoustic-based platforms to influence fields like drug delivery, diagnostics, and cellular research becomes increasingly evident. This defense delves into the development of two platforms utilizing automated acoustic technologies for particle manipulation aimed at advancing biological applications. The first part showcases a digital piezoelectric-based platform, adept at dynamic particle manipulation through the modulation of acoustic streaming, enhanced with surrounding barrier structures. We built a programmable droplet-handling platform to demonstrate the basic functions of planar-omnidirectional droplet transport, merging droplets, and in situ mixing via a sequential cascade of biochemical reactions. The ensuing part unveils a novel platform tailored for the meticulous long-term observation of single cell physical attributes, founded on 2D acoustic patterning of single cell array and automatic phase modulation. By adaptively segmenting and fitting the movement, we are able to monitor the density, compressibility and size fluctuation of the sample at the same time. These innovations have the potential to revolutionize biological endeavors, notably in large-scale drug screening and the proactive surveillance of cellular responses to distinct environmental stimulations over extended periods.