RESUMEN
Automated high-throughput liquid handling operations in biolabs necessitate miniaturised and automatised equipment for effective space utilisation and system integration. This paper presents a thermal segment microwell plate control unit designed for enhanced microwell-based experimentation in liquid handling setups. The development of this device stems from the need to move towards geometry standardization and system integration of automated lab equipment. It incorporates features based on Smart Sensor and Sensor 4.0 concepts. An enzymatic activity assay is implemented with the developed device on a liquid handling station, allowing fast characterisation via a high-throughput approach. The device outperforms other comparable devices in certain metrics based on automated liquid handling requirements and addresses the needs of future biolabs in automation, especially in high-throughput screening.
RESUMEN
Typical product development in biotechnological laboratories is a distributed and versatile process. Today's biotechnological laboratory devices are usually equipped with multiple sensors and a variety of interfaces. The existing software for biotechnological research and development is often specialized on specific tasks and thus generates task-specific information. Scientific personnel is confronted with an abundance of information from a variety of sources. Hence a comprehensive software backbone that structures the developmental process and maintains data from various sources is missing. Thus, it is not possible to maintain data access, documentation, reporting, availability, and proper data exchange. This chapter envisions a comprehensive digital infrastructure handling the data throughout an enzymatic product development process in a laboratory. The platform integrates a variety of software products, databases, and devices to make all product development life cycle (PDLC) data available and accessible to the scientific staff.