“Cherry Picker”
Blake Hondl, Amit Mehta,
Jon Millin, Ryan Pope
Advisor: Professor Tompkins
BME 301 Spring 2004
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Biomedical Engineering Design Courses
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY STATEMENT
All information provided by individuals or Design Project Groups during this or
subsequent presentations is the property of the University and of the researchers
presenting this information. In addition, any information provided herein may
include results sponsored by and provided to a member company of the
Biomedical Engineering Student Design Consortium (SDC). The above information
may include intelle ctual property rights belonging to the University to which the
SDC may have license rights.
Anyone to whom this information is disclosed:
1) Agrees to use this information solely for purposes related to this review;
2) Agrees not to use this information for any other purpose unless given written
approval in advance by the Project Group, the Client / SDC, and the Advisor.
3) Agrees to keep this information in confidence until the University and the
relevant parties listed in Part (2) above have evaluated and secured any
applicable intelle ctual property rights in this information.
4) Continued attendance at this presentation constitutes compliance with this
agreement.
Client


Noël R. Peters, M.S.
Keck-UWCCC Small Molecule Screening
Facility
Overview






Problem Statement
Background
Design Constraints
Design Alternatives
Proposed Design
Future Work
Problem Statement

A device to guide a micropipette user in the
transfer of small volumes of compounds
between 384-well micro liter plates. The
device will increase the efficiency of transfers
and reduce user error.
384-Well Plate
Background



Drug-like chemicals
used in biological
assays
Substance tested
against 36,000
known chemicals
Chemical mixed
with reagents in
micro-liter wells
Biomek® FX Laboratory Workstation
Background



Well plates loaded into
plate reader
Typically 1-4 wells meet
the absorbance,
fluorescence or
luminescence
requirements, known as
“hits”
“Hits” are retested
EnVison® Plate Reader
Design Constraints





Must interface with Microsoft Excel
Effectively guide the user to the appropriate
wells
Minimize required bench space
Withstand exposure to various chemicals
and reagents
Lightweight and inexpensive (<$1000)
Current Competition

Matrix Memowell®
–
–
–
96 well pipetting aid
Lights up 4 wells when
used with 384-well plate
Costs approx. $1000

Quadra Cherry Picker
–
–
Automated
Costs $150,000
http://www.matrixtechcorp.com
http://www.tomtec.com
Computer Interface


Client uses a Dell PC
with Windows® XP
Use a port to connect
device to PC
–
–

Monitor (VGA) port
USB or serial port
Send data through port
to device
http://www.dell.com
Software

Choose a programming language
–
–

Choose a programming environment and compiler to
create application
–
–

Java
C++
Microsoft® Visual®
Metrowerks™ CodeWarrior™
Application will take input from user and Excel file
Proposed Designs
 384
Fiber Optic Array
 384 LED Array
 LCD Screen
Fiber Optics



384 individually
controlled fibers
Low intensity light
Very small light source
www.fiberopticproducts.com
384 LED Array





Similar to Memowell device
Microcontroller interfaced with a Computer
384 surface mount LED’s
Light up both row and column
High intensity light source
http://www.globalspec.com
LED Schematic
Proposed Solution

LCD screen to show
output of application
–
–

2 wells fixed in place on
screen
Lines (cross-hairs)
displayed to identify
wells to user
Application
–
Takes input from both an
Excel file listing “hits”
and user
Picture of 384 well plate on lcd screen
of a laptop.
Decision Matrix
Fiber Optic
LED
LCD
Feasibility
3
2
1
Cost
2
2
3
Ease of use
3
2
1
Manufacturing (labor)
3
3
1
Adaptability
3
3
1
Average score
2.8
2.4
1.4
Good
Better
Best
Future Work






Connect LCD screen through external port
Determine best platform for implementation
Experiment with output to LCD screen
Determine necessary output for every well
Write code to illuminate proper wells for all
possible combinations
Construct user interface
Any Questions?
References




“LCD Basics: Monitor Technology 101.” ViewSonic.
http://www.viewsonic.com/monitoruniversity/lcdbasics.htm
“LCD Video Controller.” Subassembly Product Guide.
http://www.trans2000.com/manual/adboard_manual.pdf
“Product Specification for LB104V03 Liquid Crystal Display.”
Products Engineering Dept. LG. Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
http://www.jacoflatpanels.com/lcdpdfs/LB104V03A1_CAS(Ver0.1).pdf
“Java Excel API Tutorial”.
http://www.andykhan.com/jexcelapi/tutorial.html
Conclusion: LCD Device

Because of labor savings over soldering 768
individual LED’s (384 wells per plate times 2
plates) and because of the rapid adaptability
of an LCD by the implementation of new
programming, it was decided to pursue the
LCD screen design further.
LCD Design

LCD contains:
–
–
–
One or more cold cathode fluorescent lamps
(CCFL)
Liquid crystal grid
Controlling circuitry



Video receiver circuit
LCD driver circuit
Inverter
System Diagram
Application
User
Computer
Device
Typical LCD Schematic