• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.227-231
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• 2005

We have developed a microsystem with a capillary electrophoresis (CE) and an electrochemical detector (ECD). The microfabricated CE-ECD systems are adequate for a disposable type and the characteristics are optimized for an application to the electrochemical detection. The system was realized with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-glass chip and indium tin oxide electrode. The injection and separation channels (80 um wide$\ast$40 um deep) were produced by moulding a PDMS against a microfabricated master with relatively simple and inexpensive methods. A CE-ECD systems were fabricated on the same substrate with the same fabrication procedure. The surface of PDMS layer and ITO-coated glass layer was treated with UV-Ozone to improve bonding strength and to enhance the effect of electroosmotic flow. For comparing the performance of the ITO electrodes with the gold electrodes, gold electrode microchip was fabricated with the same dimension. The running buffer was prepared by 10 mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) titrated to PH 6.5 using 0.1 N NaOH. We measured olectropherograms for the testing analytes consisted of catechol and dopamine with the different concentrations of 1 mM and 0.1 mM, respectively. The measured current peaks of dopamine and catechol are proportional to their concentrations. For comparing the performance of the ITO electrodes with the gold electrodes, electropherograms was measured for CE-ECD device with gold electrodes under the same conditions. Except for the base current level, the performances including sensitivity, stability, and resolution of CE-ECD microchip with ITO electrode are almost the same compared with gold electrode CE-ECD device. The disposable CE/ECD system showed similar results with the previously reported expensive system in the limit of detection and peak skew. When we are using disposable microchips, it is possible to avoid polishing electrode and reconditioning.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.7-11
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• 2013

As thermosonic ball bonding is developed for more and more advanced applications in the electronic packaging industry, the control of process stresses induced on the integrated circuits becomes more important. If Cu bonding wire is used instead of Au wire, larger ultrasonic levels are common during bonding. For advanced microchips the use of Cu based wire is risky because the ultrasonic stresses can cause chip damage. This risk needs to be managed by e.g. the use of ultrasound during the impact stage of the ball on the pad ("pre-bleed") as it can reduce the strain hardening effect, which leads to a softer deformed ball that can be bonded with less ultrasound. To find the best profiles of ultrasound during impact, a numerical model is reported for ultrasonic bonding with capillary dynamics combined with a geometrical model describing ball deformation based on volume conservation and stress balance. This leads to an efficient procedure of ball bond modelling bypassing plasticity and contact pairs. The ultrasonic force and average stress at the bond zone are extracted from the numerical experiments for a $50{\mu}m$ diameter free air ball deformed by a capillary with a hole diameter of $35{\mu}m$ at the tip, a chamfer diameter of $51{\mu}m$, a chamfer angle of $90^{\circ}$, and a face angle of $1^{\circ}$. An upper limit of the ultrasonic amplitude during impact is derived below which the ultrasonic shear stress at the interface is not higher than 120 MPa, which can be recommended for low stress bonding.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.298-303
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• 2012

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), transmitted exclusively by the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) in a circulative manner is one of the most important virus in tomato. Since the first report of TYLCV incidence in Korea in 2008, the virus has rapidly spread nationwide. TYLCV currently causes serious economic losses in tomato production in Korea. Early detection of TYLCV is one of the most important methods to allow rouging of infected tomato plants to minimize the spread of TYLCV disease. We have developed an ultra-rapid and sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a new designed real-time PCR system, GenSpectorTM TMC-1000 that is a small and portable real-time PCR machine requiring only a $5{\mu}l$ reaction volume on microchips. The new system provides ultra-high speed reaction (30 cycles in less than 15 minutes) and melting curve analysis for amplified TYLCV products. These results suggest that the short reaction time and ultra sensitivity of the GenSpector$^{TM}$-based real-time PCR technique is suitable for monitoring epidemics and pre-pandemic TYLCV disease. This is the first report for plant virus detection using an ultra-rapid real-time PCR system.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.131-134
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• 2011

We propose a spheroid chip that uses removable cell trapping barriers and that is capable of forming and extracting multicellular spheroids. By using a conventional well plate and flask, it is difficult to form small-sized spheroids, which resemble avascular 3D cell-cell interaction. It was difficult to extract spheroids using conventional microchips and fixed cell trapping barriers. The proposed chip, however, facilitates both formation and extraction of spheroids by using removable cell trapping barriers formed by membrane deflection. The cell trapping barriers, formed at the membrane pressure of 50 kPa, hold the cells in the trapping region at a cell inlet pressure of 145.155 Pa. After incubation for 24 h, the trapped cells form uniform spheroids. We successfully extract the spheroids at a cell inlet pressure of 5 kPa after removing the membrane pressure. The extracted spheroids have a diameter of $197.2{\pm}11.7Bm$ with a viability of $80.3{\pm}7.7%$. Using the proposed chip, uniform spheroids can be formed and these spheroids can be safely extracted for carrying out the post-processing of spheroids.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.147-196
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• 2023

Advances in brain science have made it possible to stimulate the brain to treat brain disorder or to connect directly between the neuron activity and an external devices. Non-invasive neurotechnologies already exist, but invasive neurotechnologies can provide more precise stimulation or measure brainwaves more precisely. Nowadays deep brain stimulation (DBS) is recognized as an accepted treatment for Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. In addition DBS has shown a certain positive effect in patients with Alzheimer's disease and depression. Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) are in the clinical stage but help patients in vegetative state can communicate or support rehabilitation for nerve-damaged people. The issue is that the people who need these invasive neurotechnologies are those whose capacity to consent is impaired or who are unable to communicate due to disease or nerve damage, while DBS and BCI operations are highly invasive and require informed consent of patients. Especially in areas where neurotechnology is still in clinical trials, the risks are greater and the benefits are uncertain, so more explanation should be provided to let patients make an informed decision. If the patient is under guardianship, the guardian is able to substitute for the patient's consent, if necessary with the authorization of court. If the patient is not under guardianship and the patient's capacity to consent is impaired or he is unable to express the consent, korean healthcare institution tend to rely on the patient's near relative guardian(de facto guardian) to give consent. But the concept of a de facto guardian is not provided by our civil law system. In the long run, it would be more appropriate to provide that a patient's spouse or next of kin may be authorized to give consent for the patient, if he or she is neither under guardianship nor appointed enduring power of attorney. If the patient was not properly informed of the risks involved in the neurosurgery, he or she may be entitled to compensation of intangible damages. If there is a causal relation between the malpractice and the side effects, the patient may also be able to recover damages for those side effects. In addition, both BCI and DBS involve the implantation of electrodes or microchips in the brain, which are controlled by an external devices. Since implantable medical devices are subject to product liability laws, the patient may be able to sue the manufacturer for damages if the defect caused the adverse effects. Recently, Korea's medical device regulation mandated liability insurance system for implantable medical devices to strengthen consumer protection.