Team:Sherbrooke/Results
Hardware Results
Overview
Experimentations Results
Project modules
MC96
Project modules
MC96
A thermal experimentation has been the only experimentation done on the MC96 module.
Thermal experimentations results
Has no prototype has been built yet, the only results available are the ones from simulations.
Simulation Results
Some simulation has been done on earlier designs, but none of the final design, due to the complexity of simulating heat pipes. Thus, these results are not finals and will surely improve with the addition of the heat pipes between the Peltier elements and the 96-well aluminium mold.
The following figures represent the repartition of heat at the beginning and the end of a heating speed test:
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 |
| Start | After 70 seconds |
- This design of aluminium mold can be heat by the peltier element at a speed of 1.1℃/s which its enough to fit in the specification of 1℃/s
The following figures represent the repartition of heat at the beginning and the end of a cooling speed test:
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| Start | After 135 seconds |
- This design of aluminium mold can be cool by the peltier element at a speed of 0.6℃/s which its enough to fit in the specification of 0.5℃/s
MC1.5
Thermal and magnetisation experimentations have been conduct to validate the design of the MC1.5 module. These are the results of those experimentations.
Thermal experimentation results
Simulation Results
These are the simulation results for the latest design of the MC1.5.
The following figures represent the repartition of heat at the beginning and the end of a heating speed test:
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| Start | After 40 seconds |
- This design of aluminium mold can be heat by the peltier element at a speed of 1.9℃/s which its enough to fit in the specification of 1℃/s
The following figures represent the repartition of heat at the beginning and the end of a cooling speed test:
 |
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| Start | After 150 seconds |
- This design of aluminium mold can be cool by the peltier element at a speed of 0.5℃/s which its enough to fit in the specification of 0.5℃/s
Thermal Trials Results
- Maintaining a temperature below room temperature test results
- Maintaining a temperature over room temperature test results
- Cooling speed test results
- Heating speed test results
Maintaining a temperature below room temperature test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This table illustrates the relation between the voltages applied to the Peltier element and the set temperature of the aluminium mold.
MC1.5 Calibration table cooling
| Voltage (V) | Aluminium mold temperature (℃) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 21.8 |
| 1 | 18.6 |
| 2 | 15 |
| 3 | 12 |
| 4 | 9 |
| 5 | 6.5 |
| 6 | 3.3 |
| 7 | 1.3 |
- The MC1.5 can reach the low temperature specification of 4℃
- The MC1.5 can reach the temperature stability specification of ±1.5℃
Maintaining a temperature over room temperature test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This table illustrates the relation between the voltages applied to the Peltier element and the set temperature of the aluminium mold.
MC1.5 Calibration table heating
| Voltage (V) | Aluminium mold temperature (℃) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 21.8 |
| 1 | 24.7 |
| 2 | 28.6 |
| 3 | 34.5 |
| 4 | 38.9 |
| 5 | 43.2 |
| 6 | 47.9 |
| 7 | 52.3 |
| 8 | 58.4 |
| 9 | 63 |
| 10 | 68.8 |
| 11 | 83.3 |
- The MC1.5 can reach the high temperature specification of 80℃
- The MC1.5 can reach the temperature stability specification of ±1.5℃
Cooling speed test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This figure shows the aluminium mold’s temperature versus time for an applied voltage of 15V.
MC1.5 cooling speed results for 15V
MC1.5 cooling speed results for 15.5V
MC1.5 cooling speed results for 16V
- 15.5V is the optimal voltage to apply to obtain the highest cooling speed
- The MC1.5 can reach the specification of a cooling speed of 0.5℃/s
Heating speed test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This figure shows the aluminium mold’s temperature versus time for an applied voltage of 24V.
MC1.5 heating speed results for 24V
- The MC1.5 can reach the specification of a heating speed of 1℃/s
Magnetisation experimentation results
Applying an electromagnetic field on the test tube liquid is one of the key functionality of the MC1.5. These are the results of the experimentation done to validate this feature in the MC1.5.
Magnet attraction results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. These figures show the displacement of the magnetic beads when an electromagnetic field applied to the test tube.
Magnet attraction test results
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 |
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| Start | After 30 seconds | After 1 minute and 30 seconds |
- The neodymium magnet is enough powerful to attract the magnetic beads within 3 minutes.
TAC
Thermal and turbidity experimentations have been conduct to validate the design of the TAC module.
Thermal experimentation results
Simulation Results
These are the simulation results for the latest design of the TAC.
The following figures represent the repartition of heat at the beginning and the end of a heating speed test:
 |
 |
| Start | After 26 seconds |
- This design of aluminium mold can be heat by the peltier element at a speed of 1.4℃/s which its enough to fit in the specification of 1℃/s
The following figures represent the repartition of heat at the beginning and the end of a cooling speed test:
 |
 |
| Start | After 80 seconds |
- This design of aluminium mold can be cool by the peltier element at a speed of 0.5℃/s which its enough to fit in the specification of 0.5℃/s
Thermal Trials Results
- Maintaining a temperature below room temperature test results
- Maintaining a temperature over room temperature test results
- Cooling speed test results
- Heating speed test results
Maintaining a temperature below room temperature test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This table illustrates the relation between the voltages applied to the Peltier element and the set temperature of the aluminium mold.
TAC Calibration table cooling
| Voltage (V) | Aluminium mold temperature (℃) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 21.8 |
| 1 | 17.4 |
| 2 | 14.6 |
| 3 | 12 |
| 4 | 8.9 |
| 5 | 6.1 |
| 6 | 3.2 |
| 7 | 1.4 |
| 8 | -0.5 |
| 9 | -1 |
- The TAC can reach the low temperature specification of 0℃
- The TAC can reach the temperature stability specification of ±1.5℃
Maintaining a temperature over room temperature test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This table illustrates the relation between the voltages applied to the Peltier element and the set temperature of the aluminium mold.
TAC Calibration table heating
| Voltage (V) | Aluminium mold temperature (℃) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 21.8 |
| 1 | 23.9 |
| 2 | 28.2 |
| 3 | 33.4 |
| 4 | 38.8 |
| 5 | 43.8 |
- The TAC can reach the high temperature specification of 37℃
- The TAC can reach the temperature stability specification of ±1.5℃
Cooling speed test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This figure shows the aluminium mold’s temperature versus time for an applied voltage of 15V.
TAC cooling speed test 15V
TAC cooling speed test 15.5V
TAC cooling speed test 16V
- 15.5V is the optimal voltage to apply to obtain the highest cooling speed
- The TAC can reach the specification of a cooling speed of 0.3℃/s over room temperature.
- The TAC can reach the specification of a cooling speed of 0.2℃/s below room temperature.
Heating speed test results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. This figure shows the aluminium mold’s temperature versus time for an applied voltage of 24V.
TAC heating speed test 24V
- The TAC can reach the specification of a heating speed of 1℃/s
Turbidity experimentation results
The purpose of this experiment is to calibrate the turbidity function on the TAC.
Results
These are the results obtained by following this protocol. The following figure is the calibration curve obtained by making a fit on the data obtained.
Calibration curve for turbidity function
- The TAC is able to measure turbidity with ±5% of a reference turbidimeter
Achievements
The project has been done in the context of a end of baccalaureate project that is ending in December 2015. Thus, some specifications that have not been reached for the IGEM competition could be achieved in the following months.
Specification achieved
Specification not achieved yet
Platform:- Movements of the robotic platform must have a 1 mm precision
- Complete platform must be fully open-hardware and detailed at no more than 10000$
- Must be able to use different kinds of pipette tools at the same time
- Must be able to change tools with ease.
- Have a range of opening from 0 mm to 85 mm
- Must grab as small as 1.5 mL tubes
- Must grab as large as 96-well plates
- Rotate at a speed capable of exerting a minimum gravitational force of 6000G
- Must be equipped with security devices such as detection of abnormal vibration or securing the lid after closing
- Suitable for a 96-well plate (common sized plate for biological manipulations
- Control and maintain temperature cycling between 4 to 80℃ ±1.5℃
- Achieve a cooling and heating ramp of 0.5 to 1℃/s
- Apply an electromagnetic field on demand
- Less than 1000$
- Suitable for a test tube of 1.5mL
- Capable of independent control for each unit of three tubes
- Control and maintain temperature cycling between 4 to 80℃ ±1.5℃
- Achieve a cooling and heating ramp of 0.5 to 1℃/s
- Apply an electromagnetic field on demand
- Less than 1000$
- Suitable for a glass tube having a diameter of 25mm, capacity of 50mL
- Independent control for each tube
- Control and maintain temperature cycling between 0 to 37℃ ±1.5℃
- Achieve a heating ramp of 0.08℃/s
- Achieve a cooling ramp of 0.1℃/s above room's temperature
- Achieve a cooling ramp of 0.025℃/s below room's temperature
- Stirring the liquid (Mixing of bacterial cultures)
- Calculate the optical density of the liquid with a precision of ±5% from a reference turbidimeter
- Less than 1000$
Future Plans
The project has been done in the context of end of baccalaureate project that is ending in December 2015. Thus, further development will be done in the following months. This development will be done on the modules that have not been completed and on the optimization of the platform.
After December 2015, new modules are planned. These are the ideas for new modules.
Modules Planned- Camera on the tool holder with autofocus and image analysis capability
- PCR module
- Cell electroporator
- Pump for greater liquid volume (over 1ml)
- Vacuum for spin column-based nucleic acid purification
- Incubator with temperature and C02 control
These modules could be realized by a new team of the University of Sherbrooke.
Some chemists have shown interest in the platform and its modules. Adaptation of those modules for chemistry could also be a possible avenue for further development
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