Open hardware for microfluidics: exploiting Raspberry Pi singleboard computer and camera systems for customisable laboratory instrumentation

Sariyer, R. M., Edwards, A. D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2369-989X and Needs, S. H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3407-9637 (2023) Open hardware for microfluidics: exploiting Raspberry Pi singleboard computer and camera systems for customisable laboratory instrumentation. Biosensors, 13 (10). 948. ISSN 2079-6374 doi: 10.3390/bios13100948

Abstract/Summary

The integration of Raspberry Pi miniature computer systems with microfluidics has revolu-tionized the development of low-cost and customizable analytical systems in life science labor-atories. This review explores the applications of Raspberry Pi in microfluidics, with a focus on imaging, including microscopy and automated image capture. By leveraging the low-cost, flexi-bility and accessibility of Raspberry Pi components, high-resolution imaging and analysis have been achieved in direct mammalian and bacterial cellular imaging and a plethora of image based biochemical and molecular assays, from immunoassays, through microbial growth, to nucleic acid methods such as real-time-qPCR. The control of image capture permitted by Raspberry Pi hard-ware can also be combined with onboard image analysis. Open-source hardware offers an op-portunity to develop complex laboratory instrumentation systems at a fraction of the cost of commercial equipment and importantly, offer an opportunity to completely customise to meet the users’ needs. However, these benefits come with a trade-off: challenges remain for those wishing to incorporate open-source hardware equipment in their own work, including requirements for construction and operator skill, need for good documentation and the availability of rapid pro-totyping such as 3D printing plus other components. These advances in open-source hardware have the potential to improve efficiency, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of microfluidic-based experiments and applications.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/113698
Identification Number/DOI	10.3390/bios13100948
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > School of Pharmacy > Pharmaceutics Research Group
Publisher	MDPI
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