The Hudson SOLO™ is a low cost, high-throughput single-channel pipettor that can be programmed to do anything expected of a hand-held pipettor, with high accuracy down to 400 nanoliters. Equipped with a broad dynamic volume range and the ability to handle reactions in a sterile environment, the SOLO can be loaded and operated manually, but is also compatible with robot loading systems from most manufactures, including the Hudson PlateCrane EX.
The SOLO was developed to meet the growing need throughout the research, pharmaceutical and clinical communities for a high resolution compact robotic pipettor. The SOLO provides researchers with walkaway freedom, a small footprint, and easy to use SOLOSoft software which is closely linked to our SoftLinx™ software for data tracking and scheduling, plus improved efficiency and decreased cost of continuous unattended operation.
The SOLO has the added capability of supporting a grouping of multiple syringes (up to 10) with varying bore sizes to support very tiny (<500 nL) to very large (>100 μL) aspirating and dispensing volumes, all on the same unit. With the smallest footprint of any comparable liquid-handling robot, the low cost SOLO is also able to perform hit picking. In addition, the SOLO has an optional peristaltic pump for high-speed tip washing, which saves cycle time vs. traditional washing with a syringe-pump.
The SOLO was developed to meet the growing need throughout the research, pharmaceutical and clinical communities for a high resolution compact robotic pipettor. It can be adapted to any research activity which requires the accurate addition, removal and mixing of liquied samples/reagents - including those containing live cells. The product can be integrated with other automated instruments for seamless process control and flexibility and has many uses in applications involving:
- PCR* Preparation
- DNA Transformations and transfections
- Serial Dilutions
- High-Throughput Cherry Picking
- Bioreactor sampling and feeding
- Maldi spotting
- Plating bacterial colonies
*PCR is a licensed technology of Life Technologies
The SOLO™ easily fits on lab benchtops and into standard fume hoods and biosafety cabinets. It can automate large and small volume experiments, is adaptable to common well plate formats and can improve the quality and reliability of research. The SOLO can work as an unattended stand alone instrument which can save time and decrease cost and users can learn to use Hudson's Softlinx software in just minutes. The product also can preserve sterlility and avoid cross-contamination while dispensing into slides and microplates.The SOLO high-throughput single-channel pipettor has features researchers will find very desirable from a benchtop instrument including:
- Compact 14" x 16" (355mm x 400mm) footprint
- 8-, 24-, 96-, 384- and 1536-well dispensing
- Compatible with vials, test tubes, reagent reservoirs
- Non-contact dispensing into microplates and slides
- Product offers a very broad dynamic volume range
- Ability to handle reactions in a sterile environment
- Fully compatible with robot loading systems or can be used manually as a stand alone unit
- In-line track/stacker compatibility for unparalleled high-throughput
- Communicates with each instrument via a serial port and comes with its own easy-to-use GUI.
- Includes Hudson Control Group's SoftLinx software, which provides an easy-to-use interface to coordinate the SOLO's operation with other automated instruments
- The new Solo has the added capability of supporting a grouping of multiple syringes (up to 10) with varying bore sizes to support very tiny (<1 μL) to very large (>100 μL) aspirating and dispensing volumes, all on the same unit.
- The new SOLO has an optional peristaltic pump for high-speed tip washing, which saves cycle time vs. traditional washing with a syringe-pump.
SOLO Soft is the software program included with the SOLO Automatic Pipettor. It can be used as a direct control panel to operate the the SOLO in standalone mode, or it can run in the background by SoftLinx as part of an automated workcell. Procedures designed in SOLOSoft can be saved to files that can be opened and used at a later time, and can be included as a parameter of the SOLO instrument object in SoftLinx. The main screen is shown below. The right side illustrates the flow of the current method. The right side shows the parameters of the currently selected step of the method: The aspirate step in the following case:
The softtware makes it easy to define what type of plates occupy each of the four available nests on the deck of the SOLO. Plate type selection provides important information to the SOLOSoft error checking features, so that tips are placed in the correct position for liquid transfer and processes beyond the available capacity of the liquid handler is forbidden.
Plate Capacity: 4 positions; unlimited with optional stackers
Plate Format: SBS standard footprint, any well configuration
Housing material: Stainless main deck; painted steel upper arm covers over
machined aluminum structural components
Spill Protection: All electronics protected by solid, non-penetrated cover to
prevent any leakage onto electrical devices
Arm Mechanism
Horizontal Travel/Vertical Stroke: x=18.55"; y=9.57"; z=3.09"
Size: 22in. x 14" x 16" (H xWx D)
Weight: 50lbs
Computer Interface: RS-232 serial cable
Accuracy Data: The following table summarizes the results of 2500 gravimetric-validated dispenses of water at various volumes using the four standard tip sizes. Similar accuracy has been demonstrated with different solvents, buffer systems, and cellular suspensions of Jurkat cells.
The results in the first two tables were obtained using the SOLO equipped with a 250μL syringe.
|
Tip Size μL
|
Avg Vol μL
|
Avg CV |
| 10 |
1-10 |
1.75 |
| 20 |
3-16 |
1.12 |
| 50 |
3-32 |
1.41 |
| 250 |
3-50 |
1.59 |
|
Volume Range μL
|
Tip Size μL
|
CV |
Avg CV |
| 1-3 |
10 |
2.72 |
2.72 |
| 3-5 |
10 |
0.77 |
1.50 |
| 20 |
1.33 |
| 50 |
1.35 |
| 250 |
2.56 |
| 5-10 |
10 |
1.75 |
1.45 |
| 20 |
1.12 |
| 50 |
1.47 |
| 250 |
1.45 |
| 10-50 |
20 |
0.91 |
1.03 |
| 50 |
1.40 |
| 250 |
0.77 |
The following table was generated using a SOLO equipped with two sizes of syringe pumps. When equipped with a 25μL syringe, the SOLO can dispense 400nL with CVs below 3%.
|
Syringe Size μL
|
Avg Vol μL
|
Avg CV |
| 500 |
50 |
0.51 |
| 500 |
25 |
0.52 |
| 500 |
12 |
1.23 |
| 500 |
5 |
5.3 |
| 25 |
12 |
0.24 |
| 25 |
6 |
0.27 |
| 25 |
3 |
0.36 |
| 25 |
1 |
1.75 |
| 25 |
0.4 |
2.82 |
Below are some timing results based on filling each well of a 96 well plate with 5uL of liquid
| Method |
Average Time
(min/plate) |
| Dispense from a resevoir |
1:43 |
| Dispense from a plate |
1:53 |
| Copy plate - well by well |
6:18 |
Copy plate - well by well
with 96 tip changes |
29:04 |
