👉 Paper engineering, also known as paper-based microfluidics or paper-based lab-on-a-chip technology, is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles from engineering, materials science, and biology to design and fabricate devices using paper as a primary material. These devices leverage the unique properties of paper, such as its porosity, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility, to perform complex fluidic operations like sample preparation, mixing, separation, and detection. By patterning paper with hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, engineers can create channels and reservoirs that guide and manipulate small volumes of liquids with high precision. This technology enables rapid, low-cost, and portable diagnostic tools, suitable for point-of-care testing, environmental monitoring, and biomedical research. The simplicity of paper-based systems, often requiring minimal equipment and expertise, makes them particularly valuable in resource-limited settings or for applications where traditional microfluidic devices are impractical.
