Low-cost Microfluidic Testbed for Molecular Communications with Integrated Hydrodynamic Gating and Screen-printed Sensors

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Albay, Maide Miray, Akyol, Eren, Mirlou, Fariborz, Beker, Levent, Kuscu, Murat
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Albay, Maide Miray
Akyol, Eren
Mirlou, Fariborz
Beker, Levent
Kuscu, Murat
author_facet Albay, Maide Miray
Akyol, Eren
Mirlou, Fariborz
Beker, Levent
Kuscu, Murat
contents Molecular Communications (MC), transferring information via chemical signals, holds promise for transformative healthcare applications within the Internet of Bio-Nano Things (IoBNT) framework. Despite promising advances toward practical MC systems, progress has been constrained by experimental testbeds that are costly, difficult to customize, and require labor-intensive fabrication. Here, we address these challenges by introducing a low-cost ($\sim$\$1 per unit), rapidly fabricated ($<$1 hour), and highly customizable microfluidic testbed that integrates hydrodynamic gating and screen-printed potentiometric sensors. This platform enables precise spatiotemporal control over chemical signals and supports reconfigurable channel architectures along with on-demand sensor functionalization. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a pH-based MC system combining a polyaniline (PANI)-functionalized sensor for real-time signal detection with a programmable hydrodynamic gating architecture, patterned in a double-sided adhesive tape, as the transmitter. By dynamically mixing phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with an acidic solution (pH 3), the testbed reliably generates pH-encoded pulses. Experimental results confirm robust control over pulse amplitude and pulse width, enabling the simulation of end-to-end MC scenarios with 4-ary concentration shift keying (CSK) modulation. By combining affordability and rapid prototyping without compromising customizability, this platform is poised to accelerate the translation of MC concepts into practical IoBNT applications.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_19341
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Low-cost Microfluidic Testbed for Molecular Communications with Integrated Hydrodynamic Gating and Screen-printed Sensors
Albay, Maide Miray
Akyol, Eren
Mirlou, Fariborz
Beker, Levent
Kuscu, Murat
Emerging Technologies
Molecular Communications (MC), transferring information via chemical signals, holds promise for transformative healthcare applications within the Internet of Bio-Nano Things (IoBNT) framework. Despite promising advances toward practical MC systems, progress has been constrained by experimental testbeds that are costly, difficult to customize, and require labor-intensive fabrication. Here, we address these challenges by introducing a low-cost ($\sim$\$1 per unit), rapidly fabricated ($<$1 hour), and highly customizable microfluidic testbed that integrates hydrodynamic gating and screen-printed potentiometric sensors. This platform enables precise spatiotemporal control over chemical signals and supports reconfigurable channel architectures along with on-demand sensor functionalization. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a pH-based MC system combining a polyaniline (PANI)-functionalized sensor for real-time signal detection with a programmable hydrodynamic gating architecture, patterned in a double-sided adhesive tape, as the transmitter. By dynamically mixing phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with an acidic solution (pH 3), the testbed reliably generates pH-encoded pulses. Experimental results confirm robust control over pulse amplitude and pulse width, enabling the simulation of end-to-end MC scenarios with 4-ary concentration shift keying (CSK) modulation. By combining affordability and rapid prototyping without compromising customizability, this platform is poised to accelerate the translation of MC concepts into practical IoBNT applications.
title Low-cost Microfluidic Testbed for Molecular Communications with Integrated Hydrodynamic Gating and Screen-printed Sensors
topic Emerging Technologies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.19341