Analysis and sorting of objects in flow

US9495742B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• IMEC · BE
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU LEUVEN R&D · BE

Inventors

• Liesbet Lagae · Leuven, BE
• Peter Peumans · Palo Alto, US
• Kris Verstreken · Schilde, BE
• Dries Vercruysse · Brugge, BE
• Chengxun Liu · Heverlee, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 7, 2012
• Grant date: Nov 15, 2016
• Expiry date: Jan 23, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/30004
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device and method for sorting objects immersed in a flowing medium are described. An example device comprises a holographic imaging unit comprising a plurality of holographic imaging elements, a fluid handling unit comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels for conducting flowing medium along a corresponding holographic imaging element and a microfluidic switch arranged downstream of an imaging region in the microfluidic channel for directing each object in the flowing medium into a one of a plurality of outlets. The example device also comprises a processing unit configured to determine real-time characterizations of holographic diffraction images obtained for each of the moving objects, with each real-time characterization accounting for at least one predetermined object-type signature. The processing unit is further adapted for controlling the microfluidic switches in response to the real-time characterizations.