Jan Madsen

Technical University of Denmark, Denmark

Computing with Liquid Computing – Challenges and Promises

Abstract

A key turning point for the evolution of modern computers was the introduction of the general-purpose
computer architecture which allowed the computer to be programmed after hardware fabrication. This
allowed hardware to be designed bottom-up, providing a hardware independent programming
interface which could then be compiled from a high-level programming language, effectively
separating the design of hardware (processor) and software (application). Today, microfluidic Lab-on-
Chip are still mainly developed as hardcoded applications using passive operations, even though
microfluidic technologies have the potential to scale. In this talk we expand on liquid computing using
the programmable digital microfluidic-based general-purpose Lab-on-Chip introduced at MPSoC
2024. We will present challenges of droplet size and contamination, and we will outline the promises
of using liquid computing to beforme large scale computing.

Biography

Jan Madsen is Full Professor in Computer-Based Systems and Head of Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science (DTU Compute). He holds a MSc in Electrical Engineering (1986, DTU) and a PhD in Computer Science (1992, DTU). His research interests are in the intersection between computer science and biotechnology, with a special focus on design, modelling, and construction of microelectronic (MPSoC and IoT), microfluidic (Lab-on-Chip) and microbiological (molecular) computing systems, including the development of design automation tools and design methodologies. In these fields, he has co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, 3 books, 4 edited books, 13 book chapters, and 3 patents. He has (co-)supervised 53 PhDs. He was the General Chair of DATE 2018, NOCS 2012, CODES 2001 and the Technical Program Chair of DATE 2007, CODES+ISSS 2011, CODES 2000. Dr. Madsen is a board member of EDAA, member of the Academy of Technical Sciences and its Council for Technology and Society. He was National ICT Expert for EU Horizon 2020. He is member of IEEE and ACM.