Front-End Research for Continous-Flow Microfluidics
Technological innovations in continuous-flow microfluidics require updated automated synthesis methods. As new microfluidic components and biochemical applications are constantly introduced, the current functionality-based application mapping methods and the fixed-time-slot scheduling methods are insufficient to overcome the new design challenges. Our group therefore has developed a series of front-end design automation methods for continuous-flow microfluidics, with a focus on introducing new components and application characteristics, to provide more practical and effective solutions to the front-end design problems.
In recent years, we also work on the synchronization with real-time systems. Studies have shown a need for an interactive firmware layer in microfluidic platforms that can collect data from on-chip sensors, make decisions based on the collected data, and appropriately allocate resources.
COLUMBA: Co-Layout Design Automation Tool for Microfluidic Large-Scale Integration
Current continuous-flow microfluidic large-scale integration (mLSI) is designed manually, which is time-consuming and error-prone. In recent years, design automation research for mLSI evolves rapidly, aiming to replace manual labor by computers. Our group has developed Columba, which takes plain-text netlist descriptions as inputs, and performs simultaneous placement and routing for multiple layers while ensuring the planarity of each layer. The outputs of Columba are AutoCAD-compatible designs that fulfill all designs rules and can be directly used for mask fabrication (an example of the designs fabricated from Columba outputs are shown on the right). Columba is the first large-scale design automation tool that can seamlessly synchronize with the manufacturing flow of mLSI.
Our future targets are to synchronize Columba with front-end design automation methods and with biochemical applications. We are seeking for collaborations with bioengineering and biochemical experts.
Synthesis and Testing for Homogeneous Microfluidic Large-Scale Integration
Recent advances in manufacturing technologies of continuous-flow microfluidic large-scale integration (mLSI) have enabled valve density to reach 1 million per cm2, and consequently mLSI within a homogeneous architecture (all channel walls and device walls are built by valves) has emerged to achieve higher flexibility and reconfigurability. By controlling the states of valves, channels, storages and mixers can be constructed and destructed dynamically during the assay process.
Our group has worked on developing synthesis and testing methods for homogeneous mLSI. For the synthesis part, our targets include the formation of the devices and the validation of the fluid routing. For the testing part, we focus on modeling representative manufacturing defects and developing efficient defect-screening techniques. We hope that our design automation solutions can facilitate the industrial adoption of homogeneous mLSI.
Publications
2025
Journal Articles
Gasvoda, Hudson; Li, Mengchu; Pader, Andrea; Altay, Rana; Cmager, Nick; Pandey, Tripti; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Araci, Ismail Emre: Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Digital Strain Sensors for Hardware-Based Recognition and Quantification of Human Movements. Advanced Sensor Research, 2025 more…BibTeX
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Liang, Siyuan; Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Schlichtmann, Ulf; Ho, Tsung-Yi: Combinatorial-Coding-Based High-Performance Microfluidic Control Multiplexer: Design, Synthesis, and Adaptation. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems (TCAD) 44 (2), 2025, 655-668 more…BibTeX
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Conference Papers / Poster
Kundu, Debraj; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Yamashita, Shigeru; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Loading-Aware Mixing-Efficient Sample Preparation on Programmable Microfluidic Device. Design, Automation and Test in Europe (DATE), 2025 more…BibTeX
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Lian, Meng; Yang, Shucheng; Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Dynamic Topology-Aware Flow Path Construction and Scheduling Optimization for Multilayered Continuous-Flow Microfluidic Biochips. IEEE/ACM Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference (ASP-DAC), 2025 more…BibTeX
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Zhang, Yushen; Rašeta, Dragan; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Schlichtmann, Ulf: 3M-DeSyn: Design Synthesis for Multi-Layer 3D-Printed Microfluidics with Timing and Volumetric Control. IEEE/ACM Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference (ASP-DAC), 2025 more…BibTeX
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Li, Mengchu; Zhang, Yushen; Lee, Ju Young; Gasvoda, Hudson; Araci, Ismail Emre; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Integrated Test Module Design for Microfluidic Large-Scale Integration. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems (TCAD) 42 (6), 2023, 1939-1950 more…BibTeX
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Liang, Siyuan; Lian, Meng; Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Schlichtmann, Ulf; Ho, Tsung-Yi: ARMM: Adaptive Reliability Quantification Model of Microfluidic Designs and Its Graph-Transformer-Based Implementation. IEEE/ACM International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), 2023 more…BibTeX
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2022
Conference Papers / Poster
Liang, Siyuan; Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Schlichtmann, Ulf; Ho, Tsung-Yi: CoMUX: Combinatorial-Coding-Based High-Performance Microfluidic Control Multiplexer Design. IEEE/ACM International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), 2022 more…BibTeX
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Shen, Duan; Zhang, Yushen; Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Contamination-Free Switch Design and Synthesis for Microfluidic Large-Scale Integration. Design, Automation and Test in Europe (DATE), 2022 more…BibTeX
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2021
Conference Papers / Poster
Zuo, Fangda; Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Relative-Scheduling-Based High-Level Synthesis for Flow-Based Microfluidic Biochips. IEEE/ACM International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), 2021 more…BibTeX
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2020
Journal Articles
Liu, Chunfeng; Li, Bing; Bhattacharya, Bhargab B.; Chakrabarty, Krishnendu; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Test Generation for Flow-Based Microfluidic Biochips with General Architectures. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems 39 (10), 2020 more…BibTeX
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Zhu, Ying; Huang, Xing; Li, Bing; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Wang, Qin; Yao, Hailong; Wille, Robert; Schlichtmann, Ulf: MultiControl: Advanced Control Logic Synthesis for Flow-Based Microfluidic Biochips. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems 39 (10), 2020 more…BibTeX
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2019
Conference Papers / Poster
Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Ma, Yanlu; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: VOM: Flow-Path Validation and Control-Sequence Optimization for Multilayered Continuous-Flow Microfluidic Biochips. IEEE/ACM International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), 2019 more…BibTeX
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Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Li, Mengchu; Zhang, Yushen; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Cloud Columba: Accessible Design Automation Platform for Production and Inspiration. IEEE/ACM International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), 2019 more…BibTeX
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2018
Journal Articles
Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Li, Mengchu; Freitas, Daniel Nestor; McAuley, Travis; Li, Bing; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Araci, Ismail Emre; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Columba 2.0: A Co-Layout Synthesis Tool for Continuous-Flow Microfluidic Biochips. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems 37 (8), 2018, 1588-1601 more…BibTeX
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Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Li, Mengchu; Freitas, Daniel Nestor; Mongersun, Amy; Araci, Ismail Emre; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Columba S: A Scalable Co-Layout Design Automation Tool for Microfluidic Large-Scale Integration. ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (DAC), 2018 more…BibTeX
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Zhu, Ying; Li, Bing; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Wang, Qin; Yao, Hailong; Wille, Robert; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Multi-Channel and Fault-Tolerant Control Multiplexing for Flow-Based Microfluidic Biochips. IEEE/ACM International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD), 2018 more…BibTeX
2017
Conference Papers / Poster
Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Li, Bing; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Component-Oriented High-Level Synthesis for Continuous-Flow Microfluidics Considering Hybrid-Scheduling. ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (DAC), 2017 more…BibTeX
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Liu, Chunfeng; Li, Bing; Yao, Hailong; Pop, Paul; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Transport or Store? Synthesizing Flow-based Microfluidic Biochips using Distributed Channel Storage. ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (DAC), 2017 more…BibTeX
2016
Journal Articles
Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Li, Bing; Li, Mengchu; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Reliability-aware Synthesis with Dynamic Device Mapping and Fluid Routing for Flow-based Microfluidic Biochips. IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems 35 (12), 2016, 1981-1994 more…BibTeX
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Conference Papers / Poster
Li, Mengchu; Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Li, Bing; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Sieve-valve-aware Synthesis of Flow-based Microfluidic Biochips Considering Specific Biological Execution Limitations. Design, Automation and Test in Europe (DATE), 2016 more…BibTeX
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Tseng, Tsun-Ming; Li, Mengchu; Li, Bing; Ho, Tsung-Yi; Schlichtmann, Ulf: Columba: Co-Layout Synthesis for Continuous-Flow Microfluidic Biochips. ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (DAC), 2016 more…BibTeX
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