The work of laboratory scientists is becoming increasingly automated through advances in robotics and microprocessors. As experiments run faster and the need to work with toxic agents becomes commonplace, researchers are finding some of their normal responsibilities delegated to their electronic counterparts.
Robotic systems deftly handle minute amounts of reagents and cells without spilling. They perform hundreds of operations without getting tired, and they don't even need to break for coffee. One has to wonder what effect the invention of machines such as the Quixell™ automated cell selection and transfer system will have in the field of cell biology.
Quixell is a unique device that enables researchers to manipulate cells as small as 5 microns. It uses microprocessor control and a micropipette to draw individual cells from fluid for transfer into multiwell trays. And the remote control system is finely tuned so that researchers won't overshoot the mark, overadjusting back ...
