Measuring

A 'microfluidic device' can be defined as a device in which several laboratory techniques are integrated into a chip with a maximum size of a few dozen square centimetres. A microfluidic device or lab-on-a-chip (LOC) contains an enclosed internal microfluidic channel network with small characteristic dimensions of less than 1 mm, in which reagents can be manipulated at microscale.

The internal volumes of LOCs are in the µL range, leading to typical microfluidic advantages such as rapid heating and rapid mixing. As a result, LOC devices offer fast analysis times, require minimal amounts of the analyte and are portable. By processing samples in a sealed microfluidic environment, LOC systems reduce the risk of (cross) contamination and allow for direct analysis at the crime scene. LOCs are additionally often designed for single use. All these aspects are important in forensic investigations.