Use of microfluidic reader device for product authentication

A microfluidic reader device adapted to authenticate the integrity of a product having a physical code embedded therein, the device comprising:

• a micro/nanofluidic chip that incorporates a series of nano-Deterministic Lateral Displacement (DLD) arrays, which are adapted to separate colloids based upon size and shape;
• an interface for loading into said chip a fluid containing said physical code that has been extracted from said product;
• at least one detector embedded in said chip and/or interfaced to said chip;
• a housing for protecting said chip and providing said interface;
• an electrophoretic driving mechanism for moving said fluid through said chip;
• a power source selectably connected to the electrophoretic driving mechanism;
• a wireless transceiver for sending/receiving data;
• and
• a controller, which is adapted by stored instructions to:
• receive physical condition instructions from an authentication service via said wireless transceiver;
• obtain at least one of a Tier 1 result and a Tier 2 result from said detector by operating said electrophoretic driving mechanism according to said physical condition instructions, thereby moving through said micro/nanofluidic chip said fluid containing said physical code, while electrically interrogating said detector;
• transmit said at least one of said Tier 1 result and said Tier 2 result via said wireless transceiver;
• and
• provide a user interface for operating and monitoring the authentication process.