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Methods and devices are provided for moving a droplet on an elongated track formed on a patterned surface using vibration. The elongated track includes a plurality of patterned transverse arcuate regions such that when the surface is vibrated the droplet is urged along the track as a result of an im

Methods and devices are provided for moving a droplet on an elongated track formed on a patterned surface using vibration. The elongated track includes a plurality of patterned transverse arcuate regions such that when the surface is vibrated the droplet is urged along the track as a result of an imbalance in the adhesion of a front portion of the droplet and a back portion of the droplet to the transverse arcuate regions.

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1. A method of moving a droplet along a predetermined path on a surface, the method comprising: providing the surface having an elongated track comprising a plurality of transverse arcuate regions having a different degree of hydrophobicity than the surface, wherein the transverse arcuate regions ar

1. A method of moving a droplet along a predetermined path on a surface, the method comprising: providing the surface having an elongated track comprising a plurality of transverse arcuate regions having a different degree of hydrophobicity than the surface, wherein the transverse arcuate regions are sized and spaced to induce asymmetric contact angle hysteresis between the droplet and the surface when the droplet is vibrated; depositing the droplet on the elongated track; and vibrating the surface at a frequency and amplitude sufficient to cause the droplet to deform such that a front portion of the supported droplet contacts an at least one additional transverse arcuate region, thereby urging the droplet towards the at least one additional transverse arcuate region. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are optically flat. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are coplanar. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are formed from the same substrate. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the amplitude is from 1 micron to 1 mm. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency is from 1 Hz to 1 kHz. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongated track defines a closed loop. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of vibrating the surface comprises a technique selected from the group consisting of acoustic vibration, electromagnetic vibration, and piezoelectric vibration. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transverse arcuate regions have a width from 1 nm to 1 mm. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transverse arcuate regions define substantially circular arcs having a constant radius. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the constant radius is approximately equal to a radius of a footprint of the droplet. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the substantially circular arcs are equal to or less than ½ of a circle. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the droplet on the elongated track occurs without any external vibration. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the droplet on the elongated track occurs via condensation on the elongated track. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are transparent at visible wavelengths. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions are more hydrophobic than the surface. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions are more hydrophilic than the surface. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the droplet has a degree of hydrophobicity closer to the degree of hydrophobicity of the transverse arcuate regions than that of the surface. 19. A device for moving a droplet along a predetermined path on a surface, comprising: the surface having an elongated track comprising a plurality of transverse arcuate regions having a different degree of hydrophobicity than the surface, wherein the transverse arcuate regions are sized and spaced to induce asymmetric contact angle hysteresis between the droplet and the surface when the droplet is vibrated; and a means for vibrating the surface at a frequency and amplitude sufficient to cause the droplet to deform such that the front portion of the droplet contacts at least one additional transverse arcuate region, thereby urging the droplet towards the at least one additional transverse arcuate region. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are optically flat. 21. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are coplanar. 22. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are formed from the same substrate. 23. The device of claim 19, wherein the amplitude is from 1 micron to 1 mm. 24. The device of claim 19, wherein the frequency is from 1 Hz to 1 kHz. 25. The device of claim 19, wherein the elongated track defines a closed loop. 26. The device of claim 19, wherein the means for vibrating the surface comprises a technique selected from the group consisting of acoustic vibration, electromagnetic vibration, and piezoelectric vibration. 27. The device of claim 19, wherein the transverse arcuate regions have a width from 1 nm to 1 mm. 28. The device of claim 19, wherein the transverse arcuate regions define substantially circular arcs having a constant radius. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the constant radius is approximately equal to a radius of a footprint of the droplet. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the substantially circular arcs are equal to or less than ½ of a circle. 31. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions and the surface are transparent at visible wavelengths. 32. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions are more hydrophobic than the surface. 33. The device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of transverse arcuate regions are more hydrophilic than the surface. 34. The device of claim 19, wherein the droplet has a degree of hydrophobicity closer to the degree of hydrophobicity of the transverse arcuate regions than that of the surface.