# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Kanzure demonstrated a simple DIY microfluidic device using Sharpie markers on glass slides, creating hydrophobic barriers that could control water flow and guide algae in a "pinball machine" effect, showcasing accessible approaches to microfluidics experimentation.

• Participants explored consumer-accessible photopolymerization agents for microfluidic fabrication, including UV-curable resins like Magic-Glos ($10/oz) and fiberglass resin, discussing their potential applications in creating precise fluidic channels.

• The group conceptualized practical applications of microfluidics, including fingernail-based immunoassays that could potentially adapt rapid HIV test technology into nail polish for detecting pathogens during intimate contact.

• Several academic resources were shared on DIY microfluidic fabrication techniques, including papers on using unmodified office inkjet printers to create microsensors and surface tension-confined microfluidic devices that use hydrophobic/hydrophilic material patterns.

• An innovative concept for "magnetically-writable microfluidic systems" was proposed, using magnetic beads coated in Sharpie ink positioned between glass slides and controlled by external magnets to create reconfigurable channels.

• Participants discussed the potential of fluidic logic gates and circuits, including the possibility of developing fluidic sound sensors and even a fluidic robot capable of tracking engine noises, demonstrating interest in alternative computing approaches.