Busy as a bee

We have been working non-stop.  We first begin by designing our device (large-scale versions of nano- and microfluidic devices - they are simply devices that allows substances to flow through it) on Illustrator.  It is slightly complicated at first, but I am warming up to the program.  After we design the device we then pour a mold of it with PDMS.  Before we can use the device we must make a PDMS base to attach to the mold and also connect any tubing.  While all of this may sound simple, it can take a day to complete a working design on Illustrator.  It may take three days to fabricate it.  And even when the device is finished, it may not work properly so that will mean redoing parts of it (fluid, tubing, attachments, and so on) or the entire device.  We now have four devices.  We are cutting out a fifth design in a few minutes, and a sixth design is in progress on Illustrator.  These are all going simultaneously so we must be organized to keep a successful pace.

While I have also been involved in another project, this will be the focus of the poster presentation.  I will also demonstrate a few of the devices at the Thursday meeting.  I hope you are all enjoying your projects and I look forward to hearing more about them on Thursday.