Acoustic Droplet Ejection (ADE) is a unique liquid transfer process that delivers unparalleled volumetric and positional control with no tips, pins or nozzles. As the world's leader in this powerful technology, Labcyte enables liquid handling solutions never before possible, resulting in a wide array of potential uses. Labcyte welcomes opportunities to acquire, in-license, jointly develop, invest in or collaborate in complementary technologies and products.
We have demonstrated transfer of as little as one picoliter of liquid, creating a spot size as small as ten microns with positional accuracy within nine microns of the intended target. Liquids can be deposited one droplet at a time or multiple droplets per second. Since there are no nozzles, the ejection process can be controlled instantaneously, with no sticking, clogging or accumulation of liquid affecting the transfer of the next droplet. These factors ensure a highly accurate and precise transfer process.
ADE Delivers Exceptional Accuracy
Figure 1. Spot-on-spot array created with Portrait® 630 spotter (170 pL sample volume, 800 µm column spacing, 400 µm row spacing). Average diameter of single spots (red and green) = 168 microns; average diameter of yellow spots (red plus green) = 235 microns.
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ADE Delivers Exceptional Precision
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Figure 2 . ADE transfers droplets onto predefined targets with great accuracy and precision. The histograms above show deviations from expected spot position, calculated from the spotted image on the right (Portrait 630 spotter). Standard deviation in x-direction (right) = 8.8 µm; y-direction (left) = 8.7 µm | |
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Figure 3. 2.5 nL droplets of DMSO ejected from a microwell plate, through the eye of a needle and into a glass capillary with 100-micron inner diameter. (See Patent 7,405,395.)
Manufacture Beads, Particles or Spheres
 | ADE can be used to manufacture particles with unequaled coefficient of variation (less than 2%) in diameter, for a truly monodisperse population. Particles sizes can be specified over a large range from 10 to 1000 microns |
Figure 4. A 600-micron bead suspended in oil, created using the Labcyte ADE process. | |
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Coat Drugs, Polymers and Other Materials onto Medical Devices
 | ADE can be used to apply materials onto medical devices and other structures. Unlike other coating technologies, ADE generates no overspray, so a precisely known amount of drug can applied. For polymer coatings, there is no webbing as only desired areas are coated. Both polymer and drug reach only the intended areas. |
Figure 5. Targeted deposition of 45-micron spots onto a stainless steel surface. | |
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Encapsulate Materials
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| ADE can encapsulate and deposit materials including nanoparticles and live cells with precise positioning. |
Figure 6. Volatile and non-volatile immiscible fluids are placed in a source vessel. The acoustic focal position is set at the immiscible interface to produce encapsulated droplets. | |
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Transfer Live Cells Without Damage
 | ADE is a gentle process that can transfer live cells, nucleic acids, proteins, biomolecules or nanoparticles to predetermined locations with pinpoint accuracy. This technology holds great potential for tissue scaffolding, tissue creation or bioprinting. |
Figure 7.
A, Top: 60 empty wells.
A, Bottom: 200 pL of dye transferred into each well.
B: Microscopic image of six wells filled with 10 nL (50 droplets of 200 pL each) of cells in solution. | |
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Handle Dangerous Materials Safely
Labcyte holds U.S. Patent 7,405,072, which uses the unique advantages of moving liquids with sound to transfer fluids within a sealed container, free from any physical contact. This process can be applied to the testing of pathogens and other dangerous fluids. A pathogen-containing liquid can be introduced into a vessel and permanently sealed. ADE transfers that liquid within the vessel without ever physically touching the liquid. Sound waves enter the container, but the contents remain sealed inside. ADE is completely ‘touchless’ and eliminates pipetting, so there is no contamination of pipette tips, labware, or other samples. Wash solutions are not necessary.
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Prepare Tissue for MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry
Imaging Mass Spectrometry is a new technique to identify the spatial locations of biomolecules of interest. The Portrait 630 spotter delivers precise volumes as low as 170 pL, with flexibility for a wide range of fluid types, sample formats and spotting patterns.
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Figure 8. Smaller droplets of matrix applied with ADE give substantially greater and more reproducible signal than droplets deposited with a capillary. | |
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ADE Can Transfer Different Volumes of Many Different Materials
ADE is compatible with a wide range of fluids including water; biological buffers; surfactants; organic solvents including dimethyl sulfoxide, acetonitrile and alcohols; solutions of proteins and nucleic acids; solutions containing cells and particles; and viscous solutions. The transfer volumes depend on the acoustic energy and wavelength required to transfer each fluid type. Echo® systems transfer 2.5 nL droplets and the Portrait™ system transfers 170 pL droplets. ADE has also been used to transfer volumes as low as 1 pL and as large as 525 nL. Larger volumes are easily transferred with repeat ejections at rates up to 800 droplets per second.
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Magnetic Feedback Control for Reagent Dispensing
Labcyte offers its proprietary Deerac MFC technology in OEM configurations to add high speed, low volume, non-contact dispensing to existing or custom robotics platforms. Both the single and eight channel MFC dispensing mechanisms are available as independent control units. The OEM modules provide the same liquid handling capabilities as the Deerac GX, HTS and LX liquid handling systems, in format that is easily integrated with third-party robotics and software.
The MFC modules come fully independent with their own pressure and vacuum sources, core control electronics and integration support documentation. The MFC module is controlled via an RS-232 serial interface.
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Other Applications of Interest:
Next generation sequencing
Diagnostics
Genomics
Proteomics
Cell-based discovery
Nanoparticles
Electronics assembly and packaging
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Please submit your inquiry or proposal using the “Contact Us Form” or contact our Business Development team at 408.747.2000 ext. 104
Note: Information disclosed online or otherwise to Labcyte or its personnel or agents is not submitted in confidence, nor does it imply any agreement for compensation or agreement to enter into a business relationship.
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