Patent attributes
A device and method for sorting objects immersed in a flowing medium are described. An example device comprises a holographic imaging unit comprising a plurality of holographic imaging elements, a fluid handling unit comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels for conducting flowing medium along a corresponding holographic imaging element and a microfluidic switch arranged downstream of an imaging region in the microfluidic channel for directing each object in the flowing medium into a one of a plurality of outlets. The example device also comprises a processing unit configured to determine real-time characterizations of holographic diffraction images obtained for each of the moving objects, with each real-time characterization accounting for at least one predetermined object-type signature. The processing unit is further adapted for controlling the microfluidic switches in response to the real-time characterizations.
