Tech Specs
Chi.Bio combines the capabilities of an incubator, shaker, plate reader, and robotic liquid handling, without compromising on measurement accuracy or adaptability. With all these features packed into a single automated platform, more complex and intelligent experiments can be designed, accelerating the discovery process. Summary specifications for the main components are outlined below.
Control Computer
Base computer: Beaglebone Black Rev C
Connectivity: USB or Ethernet
Operating System: Linux
Software: Chi.Bio operating system, with Python back-end and HTML/Javascript web-server interface.
Parallelisation: Control up to eight Chi.Bio reactors simultaneously.
Dimensions: 87 x 55 x 25 mm
Main Reactor
Connectivity: micro-USB connection to control computer / pumps.
Power supply: 12V
Culture tube: Standard 30 ml flat-bottom tube.
Lid: Reusable Chi.Bio custom lid, or commercially available test-tube lid (screw cap, 22-400 thread) depending on application.
Dimensions: 53 x 53 x 115 mm
Liquid Handling
Pumps: Four independently controllable (direction, speed) peristaltic pumps.
Maximum flow rate: 1.0 ml/s, lower flow rates achieved by duty cycling pump on/off.
Application: Two pumps required for OD regulation, other two pumps programmable for chemical induction/additional media/mixing between reactors.
Tubing: 2.5/4.5 mm interior/exterior diameter silicone lab tubing.
Dimensions: 100 x 150 x 65 mm
Optical Outputs
Visible LED: Seven-colour emitter with focusing optics, used for fluorescent protein excitation, optogenetics, photosynthesis.
Version 1 Output wavelengths/FWHM (nm): 395/30, 457/35, 500/55, 523/70, 595/25, 623/30, 6500K
Version 2 Output wavelengths/FWHM (nm): 457/35, 500/55, 523/70, 550/105, 600/80, 623/30, combination white light (457+550nm together)
UV LED: Single de-focused UV LED, peak wavelength 280 nm.
LED control circuitry: Independent current-limiting driver for each LED, variation of optical power over three orders of magnitude.
Laser: 650 nm de-focused laser diode with inbuilt photodiode for precise measurement of culture optical density.
Laser control circuitry: Optical output power-regulated driver circuit.
Version 1
Version 2
Spectrometry
Filter wavelengths/FWHM (nm): 410/29, 440/33, 470/36, 510/40, 550/42, 583/44, 620/53, 670/60, Clear
Electronic setup: Adjustable gain (three orders of magnitude), and integration time (from 2.78 µs to 0.7 s).
Mechanical setup: Mechanically adjustable aperture to define field of view.
Calibration: Integrated temperature and baseline-shift calibration, independent low-noise power supply.
Thermometry
Air temperature measurement: Chip thermometers inside the device and on control computer, ±0.5°C accuracy.
Media temperature measurement: Medical grade infrared thermometer, ±0.2°C accuracy.
Actuation: Resistive heat-plate below culture tube, passive cooling.
Heating power: 3 W limit, providing a maximum heating rate (for 20 ml culture) of 2.0 °C/min.
Stirring
Implementation: A reliable, speed-adjustable computer fan with attached rare-earth magnets.
Stir bar: User selectable, up to a length of ~15 mm
