{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T18:00:55Z","timestamp":1789668055172,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"AIP Publishing","issue":"3","funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000038","name":"Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["RGPIN-2018-04151"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RGPIN-2018-04151"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000038","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Natural Science and Engineering Research Council","award":["I2IPJ 560618 - 21"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["I2IPJ 560618 - 21"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["pubs.aip.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>A proof of concept of a novel air microfluidics-enabled soft robotic sleeve to enable lymphedema treatment is presented. Compression sleeves represent the current, suboptimal standard of care, and stationary pumps assist with lymph drainage; however, effective systems that are truly wearable while performing daily activities are very scarce. This problematic trade-off between performance and wearability requires a new solution, which is addressed by an innovative microfluidic device. Its novelty lies in the use of light, small, and inexpensive air microfluidic chips (35\u2009\u00d7\u200920\u2009\u00d7\u20095\u2009mm3 in size) that bring three major advantages compared to their traditional counterparts. First, each chip is designed with 16 fluidic channels with a cross-sectional area varying from 0.04 to 1\u2009mm2, providing sequential inflation and uniform deflation capability to eight air bladders, thereby producing intentional gradient compression to the arm to facilitate lymph fluid circulation. The design is derived from the fundamentals of microfluidics, in particular, hydraulic resistance and paths of least resistance. Second, the air microfluidic chip enables miniaturization of at least eight bulky energy-consuming valves to two miniature solenoid valves for control increasing wearability. Third, the air microfluidic chip has no moving parts, which reduces the noise and energy needed. The cost, simplicity, and scale-up potential of developing methods for making the system are also detailed. The sequential inflation, uniform deflation, and pressure gradient are demonstrated, and the resulted compression and internal air bladder pressure were evaluated. This air microfluidics-enabled sleeve presents tremendous potential toward future improvements in self-care lymphedema management.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1063\/5.0079898","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,3]],"date-time":"2022-05-03T14:58:35Z","timestamp":1651589915000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1063\/aip-crossmark-policy-page","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["A novel air microfluidics-enabled soft robotic sleeve: Toward realizing innovative lymphedema treatment"],"prefix":"10.1063","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Run Ze","family":"Gao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo 1 , 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4341-3636","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vivian Ngoc Tram","family":"Mai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo 1 , 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0598-833X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicholas","family":"Levinski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo 1 , 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2283-6760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacqueline Mary","family":"Kormylo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo 2 , 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada"},{"name":"Breast Rehab 3 , 1902 Roberston Road, Suite 200A, Ottawa, Ontario K2H 5B8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Robin Ward","family":"Murdock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Research and Development, Myant Inc. 4 , 100 Ronson Drive, Toronto, Ontario M9W 1B6, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1550-9777","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Clark R.","family":"Dickerson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo 2 , 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9249-7397","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carolyn L.","family":"Ren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo 1 , 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"317","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"2024031600310879200_c1","author":"Canadian Cancer Society"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-409X(01)00150-8","article-title":"The physiology of the lymphatic system","volume":"50","year":"2001","journal-title":"Adv. Drug Delivery Rev."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-14493-1_4","article-title":"Epidemiology and morbidity of lymphedema","volume-title":"Lymphedema","author":"Greene","year":"2015"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2821","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1097-0142(19981215)83:12B+&lt;2821::AID-CNCR33&gt;3.0.CO;2-G","article-title":"Overview of treatment options and review of the current role and use of compression garments, intermittent pumps, and exercise in the management of lymphedema","volume":"83","year":"1998","journal-title":"Cancer"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3726","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.2012.41.8574","article-title":"Cancer-related lymphedema risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and impact: A review","volume":"30","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Clin. Oncol."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-010-0118-x","article-title":"Upper extremity impairments in women with or without lymphedema following breast cancer treatment","volume":"4","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Cancer Survivorship"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"500","DOI":"10.1016\/S1470-2045(13)70076-7","article-title":"Incidence of unilateral arm lymphoedema after breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"14","year":"2013","journal-title":"Lancet Oncol."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c8"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2007","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.2008.18.3517","article-title":"Incidence, treatment costs, and complications of lymphedema after breast cancer among women of working age: A 2-year follow-up study","volume":"27","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Clin. Oncol."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"452","DOI":"10.1001\/archsurg.133.4.452","article-title":"Effective treatment of lymphedema of the extremities","volume":"133","year":"1998","journal-title":"Arch. Surg."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"CD003475","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD003475.pub2","article-title":"Manual lymphatic drainage for lymphedema following breast cancer treatment","volume":"21","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst. Rev."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"841","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijrobp.2006.09.024","article-title":"Efficacy of complete decongestive therapy and manual lymphatic drainage on treatment-related lymphedema in breast cancer","volume":"67","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c13"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1256","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jvs.2008.12.018","article-title":"Compression therapy in breast cancer-related lymphedema: A randomized, controlled comparative study of relation between volume and interface pressure changes","volume":"49","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Vasc. Surg."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1089\/lrb.2013.0033","article-title":"The effectiveness of intermittent pneumatic compression in long-term therapy of lymphedema of lower limbs","volume":"12","year":"2014","journal-title":"Lymphat. Res. Biol."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1089\/lrb.2014.0010","article-title":"Intermittent pneumatic compression enhances formation of edema tissue fluid channels in lymphedema of lower limbs","volume":"13","year":"2015","journal-title":"Lymphat. Res. Biol."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c17","first-page":"13","article-title":"Intermittent pneumatic compression therapy: A systematic review","volume":"45","year":"2012","journal-title":"Lymphology"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c18","first-page":"57","article-title":"The case for intermittent pneumatic compression","volume":"4","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Lymphoedema"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2260","DOI":"10.1002\/cncr.10976","article-title":"Decongestive lymphatic therapy for patients with breast carcinoma-associated lymphedema: A randomized, prospective study of a role for adjunctive intermittent pneumatic compression","volume":"95","year":"2002","journal-title":"Cancer"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c20","first-page":"5452","year":"2018"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"627","DOI":"10.1089\/soro.2019.0035","article-title":"Fluid-structure coupling model and experimental validation of interaction between pneumatic soft actuator and lower limb","volume":"7","year":"2020","journal-title":"Soft Robot."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c22","first-page":"950","year":"2019"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c23"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3279","DOI":"10.1007\/s00520-012-1455-2","article-title":"A randomized controlled trial comparing two types of pneumatic compression for breast cancer-related lymphedema treatment in the home","volume":"20","year":"2012","journal-title":"Support. Care Cancer"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c25"},{"issue":"11","key":"2024031600310879200_c26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4714","DOI":"10.1021\/la030054x","article-title":"Solving mazes using microfluidic network","volume":"19","year":"2003","journal-title":"Langmuir"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c27","volume-title":"Microfluidics Modeling, Mechanics and Mathematics","year":"2017","edition":"1st ed."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"034110","DOI":"10.1063\/1.3486609","article-title":"Microfluidic parallel circuit for measurement of hydraulic resistance","volume":"4","year":"2010","journal-title":"Biomicrofluidics"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"011302","DOI":"10.1063\/5.0036991","article-title":"Synergizing microfluidics with soft robotics: A perspective on miniaturization and future directions","volume":"15","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biomicrofluidics"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c30","volume-title":"Theoretical Microfluidics","year":"2008","edition":"1st ed."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"515","DOI":"10.1039\/C2LC20799K","article-title":"Design of pressure-driven microfluidic networks using electric circuit analogy","volume":"12","year":"2012","journal-title":"Lab Chip"},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eml.2019.01.007","article-title":"Sew-free anisotropic textile composites for rapid design and manufacturing of soft wearable robots","volume":"27","year":"2019","journal-title":"Extreme Mech. Lett."},{"issue":"1","key":"2024031600310879200_c33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2354.1995.tb00047.x","article-title":"Volume measurement in lymphoedema treatment: Examination of formulae","volume":"4","year":"1995","journal-title":"Eur. J. Cancer Care"},{"issue":"1","key":"2024031600310879200_c34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.matsci.28.1.153","article-title":"Soft lithography","volume":"28","year":"1998","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci."},{"key":"2024031600310879200_c35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e00096","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ohx.2020.e00096","article-title":"\u03bcpump: An open-source pressure pump for precision fluid handling in microfluidics","volume":"7","year":"2020","journal-title":"HardwareX"}],"container-title":["Biomicrofluidics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.aip.org\/aip\/bmf\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1063\/5.0079898\/19804404\/034101_1_online.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.aip.org\/aip\/bmf\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1063\/5.0079898\/19804404\/034101_1_online.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,16]],"date-time":"2024-03-16T00:31:24Z","timestamp":1710549084000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/pubs.aip.org\/bmf\/article\/16\/3\/034101\/2835439\/A-novel-air-microfluidics-enabled-soft-robotic"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,1]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1063\/5.0079898","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-1058"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-1058","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2022,5]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,1]]},"article-number":"034101"}}