Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technology. Microfluidic microchips are a type of microelectromechanical system (MEMS). They are used in laboratory analysis, and are commonly called a 'lab on a chip'. Samples and analytical chemicals mix in the chambers and flow through the microchannels (shown here). The small size of these channels (typically less than 1 millimetre across) allows many properties to be measured, including fluid viscosity, pH, enzyme reaction kinetics, the molecular diffusion co-efficient, number of cells, and protein properties.