Translume, Inc. announced
today that it has launched new models of its fused silica microfluidic chips
for bio, medical and chemical applications. In response to overwhelming demand,
Translume's microfluidic chips now include embedded, graduated reticles for
convenient measurement.
The company has already received several advance orders from major corporations
and research institutions from around the world. Translume's customers will
use these chips to advance the fields of genomics, proteomics, nanotechnology
and particle counting.
"Adding a graduated reticle that is embedded in the chip gives us a unique
competitive advantage," said Philippe Bado, President and Chief Technology
Officer of Translume. "We have found that scientists and engineers across
various fields share common needs for observing the size and speed of target
particles or cells. Our embedded reticles, with an appropriate 1mm pitch, help
them in this observation."
Translume's proprietary technology gives its chips several other advantages
over other commercial offerings, and at a competitive price. The company uses
ultrafast femtosecond laser pulses to create deep three-dimensional microchannels
with sharp-shaped features that are unavailable using traditional mask and etching
techniques. In addition, Translume microfluidic chips are fabricated exclusively
from high-quality fused silica glass, a chemically inert, UV-transparent, non
auto-fluorescent material that is preferred for most bio-applications.
The new product line was made possible by an investment two years ago from
the State of Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund Program. Also, the company has
previously received investments from two venture capital funds, Ardesta and
Avalon Technology Ventures.