This repository contains the free and open-source designs and documentation for the core board and their modules of a microfluidics workstation to enable high-throughput droplet microfluidic biological assays. The designs contain an electronics board "hat" that plugs onto a Raspberry Pi single-board computer and interfaces with our compact controllers e.g. for gas-pressure control to push microfluidic samples onto chips, pressure, and flow measurement with feedback control, sample holders with heating and stirring, and imaging of fast droplet generation processes with open-source microscopy and stroboscopic illumination.
This is an open, collaborative project by the Wenzel Lab in Chile, and your participation (comments, inputs, contributions) are explicitly welcome! Please submit your message as an issue in this repository to participate.
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Our aim is to create a prototype of a compact working station for microfluidic research that is based on connectable, open, modern, and low-cost components (Rasberry Pi, Arduino, 3D printing, on-board components, open or at least accessible design software and operation software - python).
Rio serves as a platform to implement fully functional research-grade workstations with good specifications, such as fast reaction times and low-pressure fluctuations. It is modular so that parts of this platform can be repurposed and improved in the open-source hardware sense and easily combined, exchanged, or used independently in challenging environments.
For a repository architecture guide, see ARCHITECTURE.md
- Software (runtime + development):
software/README.md- Main entry point:
software/main.py
- Main entry point:
- Deployment bundle (Pi updates):
pi-deployment/README.md - Hardware modules (assembly + usage):
- Pi HAT:
hardware-modules/rpi-hat/README.md - Strobe imaging:
hardware-modules/strobe-imaging/README.md - Pressure/flow:
hardware-modules/pressure-flow-control/README.md - Heating/stirring:
hardware-modules/heating-stirring/README.md
- Pi HAT:
In order to implement a workstation, you must build the core board and any module of your interest. The user interface software will allow you to control and monitor the operations of the modules.
The core board consists of a Raspberry Pi 4B+ and a custom Pi HAT (hardware attached to the top). The Pi HAT is an extension board for bidirectional communication and power supply to the controllers.
| Core Board |
 |
Build the Pi HAT |
A module commonly consists of a compact controller, sensors, and actuators, and operates with distinct power supply and data connections. The controllers convert physical data into digital data, manipulate the actuators, and supply energy to external components.
| Strobe Imaging Module | Pressure and Flow Control Module | Heat and Stirring Module |
 |
 |
 |
Build the controller |
Build the controller |
Build the controller |
The software follows a client-server architecture and allows users to control the physical hardware through a graphical interface. It runs on a Raspberry Pi (32-bit bullseye, or 64-bit operating system).
Installation and Usage:
- For detailed software installation and usage instructions, see software/README.md
Features:
- Real-time camera control with strobe synchronization
- Droplet detection with histogram visualization
- Flow and pressure control
- Temperature and stirring control
- Modern web-based user interface
How the software is structured (high level):
- UI + routes:
software/rio-webapp/(browser + Flask + Socket.IO) - WebSocket handlers:
software/rio-webapp/controllers/ - Device orchestration:
software/controllers/ - Hardware adapters:
software/drivers/(camera backends insoftware/drivers/camera/) - Droplet detection pipeline:
software/droplet-detection/
Single-module solution:
- Strobe-enhanced microscopy stage (Repository | Assembly Instructions)
Three-modules solution:
- Flow microscopy platform (Repository | Assembly Instructions (Soon))
"Rio" has been employed in the article "Plasmid Stability Analysis with Open-Source Droplet Microfluidics", published in JoVE in December 2024. Please cite this article when using our hardware system.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3791/67659
- High-pressure source module to replace large gas bottles with a small soda CO2 bottle, developed in this sub-repository
- Support for small piezo pumps
- Smart cultivation sleeves for vials, smaller and with OD-tracking - the V2 of our current sample holders and strirrers
- Microfluidic droplet sorting workstation driven by the droplet workstation tools is described here (This is being developed in a separate repository).
Feel free to dive in! Open an issue. For interactions in our team and with the community applies the GOSH Code of Conduct. If you want to get involved in our research, please see the website of our team.
Hardware: All source files located in the hardware-modules directories (including firmware, PCB designs, and documentation) and documentation are released under the CERN-OHL-W-2.0 license.
Software: The source codes located in the software directory are released under the GPL-3.0 license.
© Tobias Wenzel, Christie Nel, and Pierre Padilla-Huamantinco. This project is Open-Source Hardware - please cite and acknowledge us when using the hardware or sharing modifications.