01789nas a2200217   4500008004100000022001400041245008500055210006900140260001300209300001400222490000600236520111400242653004101356653002501397653001801422100002001440700002101460700001801481700001701499856005501516       2008                        eng d  a1473-019700aTowards non- and minimally instrumented, microfluidics-based diagnostic devices.0 aTowards non and minimally instrumented microfluidicsbased diagno  c2008 Dec  a1999-20140 v83 a<p>In many health care settings, it is uneconomical, impractical, or unaffordable to maintain and access a fully equipped diagnostics laboratory. Examples include home health care, developing-country health care, and emergency situations in which first responders are dealing with pandemics or biowarfare agent release. In those settings, fully disposable diagnostic devices that require no instrument support, reagent, or significant training are well suited. Although the only such technology to have found widespread adoption so far is the immunochromatographic rapid assay strip test, microfluidics holds promise to expand the range of assay technologies that can be performed in formats similar to that of a strip test. In this paper, we review progress toward development of disposable, low-cost, easy-to-use microfluidics-based diagnostics that require no instrument at all. We also present examples of microfluidic functional elements--including mixers, separators, and detectors--as well as complete microfluidic devices that function entirely without any moving parts and external power sources.</p>10aDiagnostic Techniques and Procedures10aDisposable Equipment10aMicrofluidics1 aWeigl, Bernhard1 aDomingo, Gonzalo1 aLaBarre, Paul1 aGerlach, Jay  uhttp://microfluidicsciences.com/drupal/?q=node/218