For a new lab-on-a-chip innovation to have high potential for commercialization and uptake as a routinely used
instrumentation, the device must not only surpass the existing methodologies/devices in terms of performance, cost
and usability, but in many instances must do so by at least one or two orders of magnitude in providing a solution of
value to the end user. If the proposed device only offers more minor, incremental improvements for a particular
applications, then the end users may be reluctant to uptake the technology over more tried and tested methods, where
training and routes for data management are well defined. In many instances within the literature there appears to be
a conflict of understanding between classical research based goals and the true added value a constructed device is
providing within the context of the problem it is aimed at addressing.