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64 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2020 chanical systems (MEMS) devices (Figure 1) that function as "micro total analysis systems" (µTAS), generally using microfluidics prin- ciples to manipulate minute amounts of flu- ids. In practical terms, microfluidics is about doing chemistry on a tiny scale and trying to emulate nature. Biomedical microelectrome- chanical systems (BioMEMS) have emerged as a subset of MEMS devices for applications in biomedical research and medical microdevic- es, with an emphasis on mechanical parts and microfabrication technologies. Applications include disease detection, chemical monitor- ing, and drug delivery. There has been rapid market growth for bioMEMS technologies, and many bioMEMS devices are already commer- cially available; a familiar example is a blood- glucose sensor. There is also great potential for large-scale commercialization of microfluidic- based LoC technologies. LoC is not new. In fact, as long ago as the late 1990s, advances in microfabrication tech- nology had enabled the development of a fully automated LoC, designed to integrate sample preparation, fluid handling, and biochemical analysis. Techniques derived from semicon- ductor manufacturing enabled the translation of experimental and analytical protocols into chip architectures comprising interconnected fluid reservoirs and pathways (Figure 2). By driving fluids in a controlled manner through selected pathways by electrokinetic or pressure forces, it was possible to create the function- al equivalent of valves and pumps capable of performing manipulations, such as dispensing, mixing, incubation, reaction, sample partition, and detection. The first commercially available LoC prod- uct was introduced in 1999 for the analysis of DNA and RNA biomolecules, as well as Figure 1: (a) MEMS; (b) MEMs integrated into tires for pressure sensing; (c) MEMS used as micromirrors for image projection and communications; (d) integrated MEMS.