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Bernie Bot, the robot for the magnetic beads DNA cleanup
Bernie Bot, the robot for the magnetic beads DNA cleanup
Bernie Bot, the robot for the magnetic beads DNA cleanup
Bernie Bot, the robot for the magnetic beads DNA cleanup
Bernie Bot, the robot for the magnetic beads DNA cleanup
Bernie Bot, the robot for the magnetic beads DNA cleanup
Sergi Lab Supplies

Bernie Bot, the robot for the magnetic beads DNA cleanup

$2,999.00 $0.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.

[cat. no. 1017]

A fully automated, open-source robot for DNA purification

 

The current lead time is 2-4 weeks.

 

What does the robot do?

It purifies DNA with magnetic beads. It can run 2 procedures:

  • It removes short DNA strands (primers) from the desired DNA. Used for PCR cleanup.

  • It removes both short and long DNA strands from the desired DNA. Used for library prep.

Details are on the Bernie bot page.

Features

  • Purifies DNA as well as a trained scientist does
  • Zero "dead volume."
  • The automatic finding of the bottom of the tube.
  • Pressure sensing when attaching the tips
  • Automatic positioning of racks and samples.
  • Solution mixing by pipetting up and down
  • Automatic selection of the mixing procedure based on the sample type and volume of the liquid.
  • Graphic user interface and command-line interfaces available
  • Completely open source
  • Modifiable and reprogrammable

How does it work?

The robot adds the beads to the sample. The desired DNA binds to the beads, while undesired impurities stay in the solution. Then, the magnet approaches the tube and pulls the beads with DNA to the tube's wall. The pipette removes liquid with impurities, while DNA stays on beads. After washing, the robot adds an eluent to the tube. The eluent is detaching DNA from magnetic beads. The robot then pulls the beads to the tube's wall again, and transfers eluted DNA to a new tube.

In case when a user needs to remove a large DNA as well, purification is done in two steps. In the first step, the robot adds a small volume of beads to the sample, so only large DNA is bound. Then, the robot moves the liquid with the desired DNA and small impurities to a new tube. There, the robot performs the second stage of purification, which is identical to the previous paragraph.

How to use the robot?

Bernie is designed for the minimum input from a user. You will need to place your samples, reagents, tubes, and tips into the robot and specify the parameters using a command-line tool or a graphic user interface. The robot will do the rest.

You can also re-program the robot for a custom experiment using our open source library.

Specifications

  1. Footprint: 54 x 57 cm (1 ft. 9 in X 1 ft. 10 in)

  2. Height: 53 cm (1 ft. 8 1/2 in)

  3. The number of purified samples: 12 samples when removing small DNA, 6 samples when removing small and large DNA.

  4. Pipette volume: 250 uL (0.25 mL)

  5. Pipette standard: 250 uL LTE ("green" Rainin pipettes)

  6. Sample tubes: 1.5 mL "Eppendorf" tubes

  7. Reagent tubes: 50 mL or 5 mL tubes

  8. Electronics: Arduino-based

  9. Firmware: Marlin-based, modified

  10. Software: Python 3.x

Pre-order

This is a beta version of the robot. This means that it works as expected, reliably, and reproducibly. However, there are few non-critical bugs, with new bugs that may appear. 

The graphic user interface is not fully developed yet. However, we will release it upon shipment.

The stable version of the robot may look different than in the pictures. It is likely the final version will be smaller.

After you pre-order, the following will happen:

  1. The pre-orders will accumulate for 6 weeks or less. During this time, we will fix the bugs and improve the hardware.
  2. We will order the materials. We use only standard materials. Therefore they should arrive within about 1-2 weeks. Bulk orders of materials allow us to charge a low price for the robots.
  3. While we wait for the materials, we will release the graphic user interface.
  4. We will assemble the robots and test them individually. This will take 1-2 weeks.
  5. We will ship the robots with a method you specified. Depending on your location and the shipment method, it will take from a few days to a few weeks to arrive.

Warranty

In case of a breakdown, we will ship you a replacement part for free, along with instructions on how to replace a broken part.

If the breakdown can not be repaired, we will replace the broken robot with a new one (you will be responsible for the shipping cost of a broken robot).

We will replace parts for free for the entire duration of the beta test or for at least 6 months after the robot is delivered.

During beta testing, we will be unable to refund you.

In case of a critical software bug, we will resolve it with a top priority and release a software update. 

In case of a non-critical bug, we will describe a workaround and schedule the bug to be fixed before releasing a stable version of the robot.

After we release a stable version of a robot, we will issue an upgrade kit. We will also offer a $750 discount for the new robots for every beta test participant.

Customization

Currently, samples must be provided in 1.5 mL Eppendorf tubes. However, we can customize the robot to accept different tube types. If the tubes are commonly used ones, the customization will be free. Otherwise, it will cost an additional consultancy fee.

The robot can be re-programmed to perform different protocols, as long as the protocol can be achieved with only one pipette. You can modify the robot yourself (it's open-source), or hire us, so we do it for you.

Please contact Sergii Pochekailov (s.pochekailov@gmail.com) for inquiries.