RFID tagging technology streamlines cryogenic sample management

Ziath, an Azenta Life Sciences company, recently announced the launch of its Ri-Track Mirage 2D barcoded tube whole rack reader designed for cryogenic sample management.

Traditionally identifying frost covered racks of 2D barcoded tubes taken from low temperature storage has been a time-consuming and error prone process. Drawing upon proprietary Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging technology – the Ri-Track Mirage can reliably read 2D barcoded racks covered in ice and with racks taken directly from vapor-phase liquid nitrogen storage. This eliminates the need to warm racks to thaw them out, which can degrade thermally sensitive samples, in order to read the identity of sample racks.

Extensive testing has shown that Ri-Track RFID technology can withstand immersion and retrieval from vapor phase liquid nitrogen more than 10,000 times without losing any stored data or showing any physical degradation. Ri-Track is therefore suitable for all forms of traceable long-term cryogenic sample storage.

Ri-Track tags last and function for the whole life of racks, lowering cost of ownership and increasing return on investment. Beneficially the Ri-Track system has been designed for use with standard laboratory consumables, being compatible with existing SBS-format rack using an easy-to-use tag insertion tool. Ri-Track tags fit securely into the internal space of almost any molded SBS format tube racks.

Ri-Track data is initially stored to the tag in a matter of seconds using a Ziath Mirage camera-based rack reader fitted with the Ri-Track antenna module, which can also read back data from the tag. Following this initial data storage, the Android or Apple DP5 Ri-Track App on an NFC-equipped phone will allow the tag information to be read and the data displayed making it easy to identify any individual tube in the frozen rack together with its location and full identity.

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