The Microfluidic Pressure Controller Landscape in 2026

In March 2026, Unchained Labs announced the discontinuation of the entire Dolomite Microfluidics product line. For hundreds of research teams worldwide who relied on Dolomite instruments — the Mitos P-Pump, Quad Pump, µEncapsulator, and Telos platform — this raises a practical question: what now?

This article is an honest assessment of the current microfluidic pressure controller landscape, written to help researchers make informed decisions during an unexpected market transition.

What Happened to Dolomite Microfluidics?

Dolomite Microfluidics was founded in Cambridge, UK, as part of Blacktrace Holdings. Unchained Labs acquired Blacktrace in 2023, gaining control of both Dolomite Microfluidics and Dolomite Bio. While Dolomite Bio continues to operate, the microfluidics instrumentation division was shut down. Spare parts, consumables, and technical support will become progressively unavailable over the next two years.

The Pressure Controller Landscape in 2026

With Dolomite's exit, the two principal manufacturers of research-grade microfluidic pressure controllers are Elveflow and Fluigent, both based in France. Pressure-based flow control has become the preferred method for high-precision microfluidic experiments, largely replacing syringe pumps in applications that demand flow stability, fast response, and continuous operation.

Five Specifications That Actually Determine Your Experimental Success

1. Flow Stability

Flow stability is the single most important parameter for reproducibility, expressed as a percentage of full scale (% FS). Published studies show that flow variations as small as 0.1% can produce measurable differences in droplet diameter. For demanding applications like single-cell encapsulation or nanoparticle synthesis, stability below 0.01% FS is the target. The OB1 MK4 pressure controller achieves 0.005% FS — currently the best published value for a commercial microfluidic controller.

2. Number of Independent Channels

Many experiments require simultaneous control of multiple fluid lines. The Mitos P-Pump offered 2 independent channels; the OB1 MK4 provides up to 4 channels, each independently configurable for pressure or vacuum.

3. Response Time

For dynamic protocols — switching between reagents, modulating droplet size in real time, or performing sequential injections — response time is critical. Syringe pumps typically take seconds to minutes. Pressure controllers operate in the 10–100 ms range.

4. Sensor Integration and Closed-Loop Control

A pressure controller sets pressure; a flow sensor measures the resulting flow rate. Closed-loop control delivers the highest experimental precision. When controller and sensors are designed as an integrated system, the feedback loop is built in, reducing setup complexity and error.

5. Software Ecosystem and Automation

Modern microfluidic research increasingly requires automated protocols. An open SDK (Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, C++) allows you to build exactly the workflow you need, integrate with microscopes or spectrometers, and ensure complete reproducibility.

For Researchers Currently Using Dolomite Instruments

If your lab operates a Mitos P-Pump, µEncapsulator, or Telos system, transitioning to a different platform does not require replacing your entire setup. Dolomite glass chips use standard microfluidic connectors and work with any pressure-based controller including the Elveflow OB1. Most transitions take a few weeks, including delivery, setup, and protocol validation — and for many researchers, the transition represents a performance upgrade.

Written and reviewed by Imen Bourassine, Data Science & AI Engineering, Elvesys/Elveflow. Originally published on elveflow.com.