US 12,256,863 B2
Sensing system and method of operation
Matthew Holden, Cambridge, MA (US); and Andrew John Heron, Oxford (GB)
Assigned to Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC, Oxford (GB)
Appl. No. 17/297,506
Filed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC, Oxford (GB)
PCT Filed Nov. 28, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/053366
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 27, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/109800, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/772,331, filed on Nov. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0001386 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); A47J 36/24 (2006.01); C12Q 1/6869 (2018.01); H05B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 36/2488 (2013.01) [B01L 3/50273 (2013.01); B01L 3/502784 (2013.01); C12Q 1/6869 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0673 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0645 (2013.01); B01L 2300/161 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0427 (2013.01); H05B 3/0071 (2013.01)] 38 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a sensing system, wherein the sensing system comprises:
(i) an electrowetting device, which electrowetting device comprises:
an array of actuation electrodes;
an insulator layer covering the actuation electrodes and having an outermost hydrophobic surface;
a first sensing electrode; and
a second sensing electrode;
(ii) disposed on the hydrophobic surface,
(a) a fluid medium; and
(b) a first droplet and a second droplet each comprising liquid medium, wherein the first and second droplet are formed in the fluid medium,
wherein the liquid medium is polar and the fluid medium is apolar or the liquid medium is apolar and the fluid media is polar;
the first and/or the second droplet comprise a layer of amphipathic molecules at an interface between said first and/or second droplet and the fluid medium;
the first droplet being in contact with the second droplet via a droplet interface;
the droplet interface comprising a layer of amphipathic molecules and a first transmembrane pore; and
(iii) a control system configured to obtain an electrical measurement from the first and second sensing electrodes, and to apply an actuation signal to the array of actuation electrodes;
wherein the method comprises
a) obtaining an electrical measurement from the first and second sensing electrodes;
b) analysing the electrical measurement and then selecting a droplet operation based on the electrical measurement according to one or more instructions stored in the control system; and
c) applying an actuation signal to an actuation electrode to effect the droplet operation.