130
9 Integrated Design Process
9.2 Determining the Architecture
Given the experiments to be realized, the first design step covers the determination
of an application-specific architecture. Therefore, the automatic method presented
in Chap. 7 can be used to determine the required operations and their order for
supporting the execution of the desired experiments. In order to allow for a costeffective architecture, the operations are re-used for different experiments. The
resulting architecture is described as a directed graph without cycles except the
MPU (recall the MPU represents the pump, droplet on demand components, and
the waste chamber). A node of the architecture represents a module executing an
operation. An edge represents a connection between nodes, which is implemented
as a channel or using a bifurcation.
Example 9.2 In order to execute the experiments shown in Fig. 9.2a–c, a single
mixing-, heating-, delaying-, and detecting module is sufficient. The automatic
method presented in Chap. 7 connects these modules so that sequences realizing
all three considered experiments result—yielding an architecture as described by
the graph shown in Fig. 9.3.
A node of the architecture may have one or two outgoing edges. The reachable
nodes of those edges represent possible modules which are executed next on the
payload. Here, bifurcations supporting the passive droplet routing mechanism can
be used to decide which module is executed next.
m 1
M PU
h 1
t 1
d 1
Fig. 9.3 Architecture
9 Integrated Design Process
9.2 Determining the Architecture
Given the experiments to be realized, the first design step covers the determination
of an application-specific architecture. Therefore, the automatic method presented
in Chap. 7 can be used to determine the required operations and their order for
supporting the execution of the desired experiments. In order to allow for a costeffective architecture, the operations are re-used for different experiments. The
resulting architecture is described as a directed graph without cycles except the
MPU (recall the MPU represents the pump, droplet on demand components, and
the waste chamber). A node of the architecture represents a module executing an
operation. An edge represents a connection between nodes, which is implemented
as a channel or using a bifurcation.
Example 9.2 In order to execute the experiments shown in Fig. 9.2a–c, a single
mixing-, heating-, delaying-, and detecting module is sufficient. The automatic
method presented in Chap. 7 connects these modules so that sequences realizing
all three considered experiments result—yielding an architecture as described by
the graph shown in Fig. 9.3.
A node of the architecture may have one or two outgoing edges. The reachable
nodes of those edges represent possible modules which are executed next on the
payload. Here, bifurcations supporting the passive droplet routing mechanism can
be used to decide which module is executed next.
m 1
M PU
h 1
t 1
d 1
Fig. 9.3 Architecture