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Open-source personal pipetting robots with live-cell incubation and microscopy compatibility

Author

Listed:
  • Philip Dettinger

    (ETH Zurich
    University of Basel)

  • Tobias Kull

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Geethika Arekatla

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Nouraiz Ahmed

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Yang Zhang

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Florin Schneiter

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Arne Wehling

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Daniel Schirmacher

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Shunsuke Kawamura

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Dirk Loeffler

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Timm Schroeder

    (ETH Zurich)

Abstract

Liquid handling robots have the potential to automate many procedures in life sciences. However, they are not in widespread use in academic settings, where funding, space and maintenance specialists are usually limiting. In addition, current robots require lengthy programming by specialists and are incompatible with most academic laboratories with constantly changing small-scale projects. Here, we present the Pipetting Helper Imaging Lid (PHIL), an inexpensive, small, open-source personal liquid handling robot. It is designed for inexperienced users, with self-production from cheap commercial and 3D-printable components and custom control software. PHIL successfully automates pipetting (incl. aspiration) for e.g. tissue immunostainings and stimulations of live stem and progenitor cells during time-lapse microscopy using 3D printed peristaltic pumps. PHIL is cheap enough to put a personal pipetting robot within the reach of most labs and enables users without programming skills to easily automate a large range of experiments.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Dettinger & Tobias Kull & Geethika Arekatla & Nouraiz Ahmed & Yang Zhang & Florin Schneiter & Arne Wehling & Daniel Schirmacher & Shunsuke Kawamura & Dirk Loeffler & Timm Schroeder, 2022. "Open-source personal pipetting robots with live-cell incubation and microscopy compatibility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-30643-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30643-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Mike May, 2019. "A DIY approach to automating your lab," Nature, Nature, vol. 569(7757), pages 587-588, May.
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    4. Tim Chapman, 2003. "Lab automation and robotics: Automation on the move," Nature, Nature, vol. 421(6923), pages 661-663, February.
    5. Philipp S. Hoppe & Michael Schwarzfischer & Dirk Loeffler & Konstantinos D. Kokkaliaris & Oliver Hilsenbeck & Nadine Moritz & Max Endele & Adam Filipczyk & Adriana Gambardella & Nouraiz Ahmed & Martin, 2016. "Early myeloid lineage choice is not initiated by random PU.1 to GATA1 protein ratios," Nature, Nature, vol. 535(7611), pages 299-302, July.
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