1. A computer system for simulating a reconfigurable Lab-on-a-chip (“LoC”) device, the system comprising: a memory that stores binary data and software; and a processor in communication with the memory that: creates a specification file using a specification system stored in the memory, the specification file used to create a numerical model for a planned LoC configuration comprised of a plurality of microfluidic components within the reconfigurable LoC device, wherein the specification file comprises a list of microfluidic components, an attribute for at least one of the microfluidic components, and an interconnection among the microfluidic components, and wherein an authoring/editing tool creates and edits the specification file; executes a control design tool stored in the memory for creating and editing an operating language script, the operating language script for controlling the operation of the modeled LoC device; numerically simulates the operation of the model in real-time using a numerical simulation system stored in the memory, wherein the numerical simulation is derived from the specification file and the operating language script; and displays results of the numerical simulation of the simulated model using a data visualization system stored in the memory; wherein the specification system, control design tool, numerical simulation system, and data visualization system are integrated into a common software development system for system development, software development, control programming, real-time numerical simulation, and visualization the modeled LoC device.
1. A computer system for simulating a reconfigurable Lab-on-a-chip (“LoC”) device, the system comprising: a memory that stores binary data and software; and a processor in communication with the memory that: creates a specification file using a specification system stored in the memory, the specification file used to create a numerical model for a planned LoC configuration comprised of a plurality of microfluidic components within the reconfigurable LoC device, wherein the specification file comprises a list of microfluidic components, an attribute for at least one of the microfluidic components, and an interconnection among the microfluidic components, and wherein an authoring/editing tool creates and edits the specification file; executes a control design tool stored in the memory for creating and editing an operating language script, the operating language script for controlling the operation of the modeled LoC device; numerically simulates the operation of the model in real-time using a numerical simulation system stored in the memory, wherein the numerical simulation is derived from the specification file and the operating language script; and displays results of the numerical simulation of the simulated model using a data visualization system stored in the memory; wherein the specification system, control design tool, numerical simulation system, and data visualization system are integrated into a common software development system for system development, software development, control programming, real-time numerical simulation, and visualization the modeled LoC device. 9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the specification file comprises a list of a subset of a plurality of microfluidic components, the subset serving as a subassembly in a larger assembly.