Chi.Bio (5-color LED)

For instructions on how to operate Chi.Bio, please see the Operation Manual

Chi.Bio is an all-in-one experimental automation device for characterisation and manipulation of biological systems. Its broad feature set allows researchers to perform and automate many common experimental protocols from synthetic, systems, and evolutionary biology, without requiring any additional laboratory hardware. It can operate as a Turbidosotat or Chemostat to regulate cell growth, whilst providing heating, stirring, measurement of multiple fluorescence proteins, and optogenetic/UV/daylight inputs.

By combining regulation of biological parameters of interest and accurate measurement into a single platform Chi.Bio facilitates reliable and repeatable experimental procedures, which have long been recognized as a major challenge for biological science research.

Up to eight Chi.Bio reactor units can interface with each control computer, which runs the platform’s open-source operating system (developed in Python). A web interface (accessible on a connected PC or network) plots data in real-time as it is collected, and allows users to change and control ongoing experiments.

EXPERIMENTAL CAPABILITIES

• Culture temperature regulation from ambient temperature to 55 °C
• Magnetic stirring with adjustable speed
• Measurement of culture optical density/growth rate
• Measure fluorescent proteins using excitation wavelengths: 451 Blue, 500 nm Cyan, 520 nm Green, 590 nm Amber, 623 nm Red
• Actuation of optogenetic systems
• UV LED (to encourage mutation)
• Combining two wavelengths out of five LEDs across visible range, allow you to create different white light options (e.g. 6500K daylight LED for photosynthetic systems)
• Growth regulation (turbidostat functionality) via measurement of culture optical density and input of fresh/removal of waste media
• In silico control of biological systems by integration of multiple inputs/outputs
• Dynamic culture variation/chemical induction using two additional input pumps
  

KEY FEATURES

• Five LED outputs of varying wavelength across the visible range
• 285nm UV LED
• 12-25 ml working volume
• Four direction- and speed-controllable peristaltic pumps per device. Pump boards can be stacked to save bench space
• Optical output power-regulated laser diode
  
• Spectrometer with nine measurement bands across the visible range, and integrated temperature calibration, adjustable gain, integration time, and aperture
• Medical-grade Infrared Thermometer for measurement of culture temperature, and heat plate

CONTENTS OF THE SET

• 1 Main Reactor (incl. x1 glass vial and  x1 magnetic stir bar)
• 1 Pump Set (with four peristaltic pumps)
• 1 Control Computer (able to control up to eight Chi.Bio reactor/pump pairs).

The set includes USB cables and a power supply but does not include silicone tubing. Details about which ones to use can be found on the hardware page of the official Chi.Bio website.

You can purchase additional reactors and pump sets as add-ons in packs of 4 or 7.

Note: We have a very limited last batch available for users who would like to specifically use the Chi.Bio Reactors with the 7-Color LED for their experiment setups. If interested, please click here to make your purchase and/or to know more about the product. 

PUBLICATION

• Harrison Steel, Robert Habgood, Ciarán Kelly, Antonis Papachristodoulou. Chi.Bio: An open-source automated experimental platform for biological science research. BioRxiv.

For any further enquiries related to this product, please contact us.

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