text: Droplet manipulation in electrowetting-based devices are usually accomplished using two parallel plates which sandwiches the droplet and is actuated by digital electrodes. The minimum droplet size that can be manipulated is determined by the size of pixilated electrodes. This mechanism provides a solution to the size limitation of physical pixilated electrodes by utilizing dynamic and reconfigurable optical patterns and enables operations such as continuous transport, splitting, merging, and mixing of droplets. SCOEW is conducted on open, featureless, and photoconductive surfaces. This configuration creates a flexible interface that allows simple integration with other microfluidic components, such as sample reservoirs through simple tubing.
  It is also known as open optoelectrowetting (O-OEW).