Open-Space Microfluidics

Chapter 9The Multifunctional Pipette

Aldo Jesorka and Irep Gözen

Chalmers University of Technology, Biophysical Technology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kemivägen 10, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden

9.1 Introduction

Microfluidic technology is a dynamic and diverse area of research and development of miniaturized flow devices, which in most cases employ micrometer-sized channel systems to move fluid in various ways. One might possibly pinpoint the origin of this technology to the ink-jet printing device introduced by Swedish engineer Rune Elmqvist of the German company Elema, later Siemens AG, in 1948. In this miniaturized fluid delivery concept, droplets are formed from an ejected ink stream at a microsized opening ...