Posted March 20th, 2007 by admin
NASA Tech Briefs INSIDER 03/20/2007
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created customizable hydrogel microparticles capable of identifying different biomolecules, disease monitoring, drug discovery, or genetic profiling. Each particle is equipped with a bar-coded ID and one or more probe regions that turn fluorescent when they detect specific targets in a test sample. The technology could make possible the development of low-cost clinical bedside diagnostics.
To rapidly “read” the particles, the researchers designed a custom “flow cytometer” using a microfluidic device and standard microscope. In this flow-through system, the oblong, disk-like shape of the particles ensures that they are precisely aligned for accurate scanning. Each time a particle flows past a detector, its barcode is read and the corresponding target is quantified.
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Posted in MIT, Hydrogels | Comments Off
Posted February 20th, 2007 by admin
Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have devised new analog circuits that will not drain power or create bottlenecks like previous models. The new class of analog circuits eliminates operational amplifiers while maintaining virtually all benefits of operational-amplifier-based circuits. The MIT circuits feature an architecture that relies on circuit blocks that are more readily implemented on supply voltages of one volt or less.
These new comparator-based switched capacitor (CBSC) circuits handle voltage differently than conventional analog ones, resulting in greater power efficiency. CBSC may enable high-performance analog circuits in emerging technologies because it would be easier to implement comparators than operational amplifiers in these technologies.
For more information, click here.
Posted in MIT, Analog, Circuits | Comments Off
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