Tinkering with Fluid Dynamics through Lego Building Blocks
In a groundbreaking move, MIT engineers are exploring an alternative microfluidics platform, looking beyond the traditional lab-on-a-chip designs[1]. This innovative approach is inspired by the precision and modularity found in everyday manufactured objects, such as LEGO bricks[2].
Anastasios John Hart, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, finds LEGO bricks to be fascinating examples of precision and modularity[3]. This quality makes them ideal for constructing customizable and easily reconfigurable microfluidic devices.
The proposed platform is based on interlocking, injection-molded blocks, similar to LEGO bricks[4]. By assembling these blocks, the MIT team can precisely align them to form fluid pathways for various experiments and applications[1]. This simplifies prototyping and experimentation in microfluidic research.
Anastasios John Hart and his team at MIT are not the first to consider LEGO bricks for microfluidics. The modular and interlocking nature of LEGO bricks has been recognised as a potential solution for creating versatile and adaptable microfluidic systems[5].
The use of LEGO bricks in microfluidics offers several advantages. The bricks' standardised size and shape make them easy to assemble, while their interlocking mechanism ensures a precise fit, essential for microfluidic channels[6]. Moreover, the modular nature of LEGO bricks allows for easy reconfiguration of the microfluidic system, making it adaptable to various experiments and applications.
The development of this new microfluidics platform using LEGO bricks promises to revolutionise the field by making it more accessible and user-friendly, enabling researchers to design and build their own microfluidic devices with ease[1]. The MIT team's innovative approach to microfluidics could pave the way for advancements in various fields, from biology to chemistry, and beyond.
[1] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612756/mit-engineers-build-a-microfluidics-platform-using-lego-bricks/ [2] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612756/mit-engineers-build-a-microfluidics-platform-using-lego-bricks/ [3] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612756/mit-engineers-build-a-microfluidics-platform-using-lego-bricks/ [4] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612756/mit-engineers-build-a-microfluidics-platform-using-lego-bricks/ [5] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612756/mit-engineers-build-a-microfluidics-platform-using-lego-bricks/ [6] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612756/mit-engineers-build-a-microfluidics-platform-using-lego-bricks/
Science and technology have intertwined in an extraordinary collaboration, as MIT engineers employ LEGO bricks to revolutionize the field of microfluidics. This innovative approach, inspired by the precision and modularity found in LEGO bricks, promises to make microfluidics more accessible and user-friendly by simplifying prototyping and experimentation, opening doors for advancements in diverse scientific disciplines.
