Analysis engine and database for manipulating parameters for fluidic systems on a chip

Abstract

A system includes a platform including one or more workstations and a microfluidic input device coupled to the one or more workstations. The microfluidic input device is adapted to receive a microfluidic device from a user. The system also includes a robotic device comprising a robotic arm and disposed on the platform. The robotic arm is capable of accessing the one or more workstations and is configured to transfer a plurality of sample solutions from a first spatial location to the microfluidic device when coupled to the microfluidic input device. The system further includes a multi-pixel image capturing device optically coupled to the microfluidic device and an image processing device operably coupled to the multi-pixel image capturing device. The multi-pixel image capturing device is adapted to capture a plurality of multi-pixel images. The image processing device is configured to receive the plurality of multi-pixel images.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for processing one or more entities, the system comprising:
 a platform including one or more workstations;   a microfluidic input device coupled to the one or more workstations, the microfluidic input device being adapted to receive a microfluidic device from a user, the microfluidic device including one or more well regions, each of the one or more well regions arranged in a spatial orientation;   a robotic device comprising a robotic arm and disposed on the platform, the robotic arm being capable of accessing the one or more workstations, the robotic arm being configured to transfer a plurality of sample solutions from a first spatial location to the microfluidic device when coupled to the microfluidic input device;   a multi-pixel image capturing device optically coupled to the microfluidic device, the multi-pixel image capturing device being adapted to capture a plurality of multi-pixel images from at least one of the one or more well regions; and   an image processing device operably coupled to the multi-pixel image capturing device, the image processing device configured to receive the plurality of multi-pixel images from the multi-pixel image capturing device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-pixel image capturing device is configured to capture an image of an organic cell within at least a portion of a well region of the one or more well regions. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the image processing device is further configured to determine feature information associated with a multi-pixel image of the plurality of multi-pixel images of an interaction between the organic cell and a reagent. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the feature information includes fluorescent or chemiluminescent information from the plurality of multi-pixel images. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a database, wherein the image processing device is further configured store the feature information in the database. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-pixel image capturing device is configured to emit an excitation wavelength to induce fluorescent or chemiluminescent emission from the one or more well regions. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the image processing device is further configured to determine feature information associated with the fluorescent or chemiluminescent emission from the one or more well regions. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-pixel image capturing device is disposed on the platform. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image processing device is configured to derive information based on a transform domain of a multi-pixel image of the plurality of multi-pixel images. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic device comprises a multi-well plate comprising at least 2,304 well regions. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller configured to command the robotic arm to transfer the plurality of sample solutions from the first spatial location to the 2,304 well regions. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the 2,304 well regions include a chamber having a volume of between 1 μl to 1 nl. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a dispensing device configured to dispense a volume of between 1 μl and 1 nl of solution to each of the 2,304 well regions. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic device comprises at least 4 dispensing tips. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a reagent plate input workstation, wherein the robotic arm is configured to transfer reagent from one or more wells of a multi-well reagent plate when coupled to the reagent plate input workstation to the microfluidic device when coupled to the microfluidic input device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the system further comprises a controller coupled to the robotic device, the controller storing a mapping between the one or more wells of the multi-well reagent plate and one or more wells of the microfluidic device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the system further comprises a display configured to output a graphical user interface to a user that enables the user to define a mapping between the one or more wells of the multi-well reagent plate and one or more wells of the microfluidic device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a chemical hotel separate and distinct from the microfluidic input device and disposed at a location different from the first spatial location. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein robotic arm is further configured to transfer solution from the chemical hotel to the microfluidic device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured to display a Graphic User Interface (GUI) to a user of the system, wherein the GUI includes indications of successful and unsuccessful experimental results, the successful and unsuccessful experimental results determined based on analysis of the plurality of multi-pixel images. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the GUI further includes indications of a number of the successful results for the microfluidic device.