Linear Stepper Actuation Driving Drop Resonance and Modifying Hysteresis.

In this work, 2 μL water drops are placed on substrates that are created to have a circular hydrophilic region bounded by superhydrophobicity so that they exhibit high contact angles. When the substrate is translated by a linear stepper actuator, the random force components present in the actuator are shown to cause the drop to rock resonantly. When the substrate is translated downward at inclination angles of up to 6° with respect to the horizontal, the contact angle hysteresis increases progressively to a limiting condition.

Stabilized dried blood spot collection.

During the collection phase of the dried blood spot method, practitioners need to ensure that there is no smearing of the blood sample on the filter paper or else readings from it will be invalid. This can be difficult to accomplish in the field if there is relative motion between the site of blood discharge on the finger and the filter paper. In this article, a gyroscope stabilization method is introduced and demonstrated to provide consistent and improved dried blood spot collection within a circular guide region notwithstanding the presence of rocking.

Adapting a Low-Cost Selective Compliant Articulated Robotic Arm for Spillage Avoidance.

Flexible automation systems provide the needed adaptability to serve shorter-term projects and specialty applications in biochemical analysis. A low-cost selective compliant articulated robotic arm designed for liquid spillage avoidance is developed here. In the vertical-plane robotic arm movement test, the signals from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and accelerometer were able to sense collisions.