Micropump Technology in Biomedical Applications

Microfluidic devices are being researched and developed for a variety of applications. This paper reviews the latest invention disclosures and recent research on micropumps with a particular emphasis on their application in biomedical fields. A brief description of the available actuation schemes, flow directing concepts and liquid chamber configurations for micropumping is provided with illustrative diagrams. Current mechanical micropump designs have been proposed, yet micropumps are yet to be commonly utilized in several biomedical applications. Thus, there is a need for new and novel pumping concepts that address the barriers to market of these devices. This paper reviews the latest micropump design concepts as put forth in recent patent applications. Various applications of micropumps used in biomedicine are reviewed, such as in micro total analysis systems and drug delivery devices.