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We developed two types of cantilever-based biosensors for portable diagnostics applications. One sensor is based on MEMS cantilever chip mounted in a microfluidic channel and the other sensor is based on a movable optical fiber placed across a microfluidic channel. Both types of sensors were aimed at direct mechanical measurement of coagulation time in a disposable cartridge using plasma or whole blood samples. There are several similarities and also some important differences between the MEMS based and the optical fiber based solutions. The aim of this paper is to provide a comparison between the two solutions and the results. For both types of sensors, actuation of the cantilever or the moving fiber is achieved using an electro coil and the readout is optical. Since both the actuation and sensing are remote, no electrical connections are required for the cartridge. Therefore it is possible to build low cost disposable cartridges. The reader unit for the cartridge contains light sources, photodetectors, the electro coil, a heater, analog electronics, and a microprocessor. The reader unit has different optical interfaces for the cartridges that have MEMS cantilevers and moving fibers. MEMS based platform has better sensitivity but optomechanical alignment is a challenge and measurements with whole blood were not possible due to high scattering of light by the red blood cells. Fiber sensor based platform has relaxed optomechanical tolerances, ease of manufacturing, and it allows measurements in whole blood. Both sensors were tested using control plasma samples for activated-Partial-Thromboplastin-Time (aPTT) measurements. Control plasma test results matched with the manufacturer's datasheet. Optical fiber based system was tested for aPTT tests with human whole blood samples and the proposed platform provided repeatable test results making the system method of choice for portable diagnostics., Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK)

Several high performing PZT-actuated MEMS laser scanners utilizing mechanical coupling are designed, fabricated, and characterized. Optical angles up to 59.3 deg. and θ opt D·fn-products up to 3052 deg.·mm·Hz are demonstrated. These are the highest performing MEMS scanners in the literature. An angle sensor is integrated into one scanner design without any additional processing. The sensor response shows a linear relationship with the mirror rotation. A closed-loop drive was demonstrated using the scanner output.

Due to copyright restrictions, the access to the full text of this article is only available via subscription. This paper reports a MEMS-based sensor array enabling multiple clot-time tests in one disposable microfluidic cartridge using plasma. The versatile LoC (Lab-on-Chip) platform technology is demonstrated here for real-time coagulation tests (activated Partial Thrompoblastin Time (aPTT) and Prothrombin Time (PT)). The system has a reader unit and a disposable cartridge. The reader has no electrical connections to the cartridge, which consists of multiple microfluidic channels and MEMS microcantilevers placed in each channel. Microcantilevers are made of electro-plated nickel and actuated remotely using an external electro-coil. The read-out is also conducted remotely by a laser and the phase of the MEMS oscillator is monitored real-time. The system is capable of monitoring coagulation time with a precision estimated at 0.1sec. TÜBİTAK

In this paper, a dynamic model of a rotor-ball bearing system is developed in Msc. ADAMS commercial software. Contacts between the balls and the rings are modelled according to Hertzian theory. The bearing model is capable of representing the effects of bearing defects and internal clearances. When they are coupled with the rotor structures, bearings without any defect can also cause excessive vibrations due to the resonance characteristics of the system. In order to demonstrate these characteristics the rotor itself is modelled as a flexible shaft and a disc positioned at the free end of the shaft. The rotor-ball bearing model developed here is capable of representing the gyroscopic effects and the behaviour of the system under different unbalance conditions. Various case studies are performed and Campbell diagrams are obtained by using short-time Fourier transform method. A test rig consisting of two ball bearings, a shaft and a disc is also designed and developed so as to validate the theoretical model using experimental data. The test rig is developed in such a way that all of the elements are easy to assemble/disassamble, allowing quick observation of the system’s dynamic behaviour for different parameters including imbalance, internal clearance and bearing defects. Modal analysis and order tracking analysis were carried out using the test rig. Both the modal results and Campbell diagrams obtained using experimental data are compared with their theoretical counterparts. In the light of the experimental data, the theoretical model is validated for the purpose of further analyses and research.