Primary hemostasis is a process in which platelet plugs form to stop bleeding immediately following injury to the vascular wall. Platelet activation and aggregation work hand-in-hand to form these platelet plugs, and the study of these processes is crucial for diagnosing coagulopathies. Light transmission aggregometry is a primary in-vitro test clinicians use for evaluating platelets' ability to form aggregates in response to stimulation by a soluble agonist. However, these tests often employ large volumes of blood. This study aims to create a system for small-volume, non-contact light transmission aggregometry using acoustic levitation, and additionally aims to test such a system on platelet aggregation models using polystyrene microspheres, and then, platelet-rich plasma itself.
