Tempest—High-Throughput Bulk Reagent Dispenser

Formulatrix launched the Tempest at the Association for Laboratory Automation’s 2009 conference last month. The Tempest is the newest product in Formulatrix’ line of microfluidic liquid handlers.
The Tempest is a bulk reagent dispenser that can dispense dilutions, factorial DOEs, and even your favorite photos. This high-throughput device’s independent channel control over all 96 wells enables it to dispense from any input into any well. With a low dead volume of 100μL using a low-dead volume input and an unrecoverable dead volume of 40μL, the Tempest is designed for even the most valuable ingredients. CVs below 5% and a minimum dispense volume of 200nL with no upper limit make this an ideal instrument for high-throughput screening.

Formulatrix’ microfluidic technology redefines liquid handling standards by replacing traditional methods with a microfluidic chip. This chip uses positive displacement micropumps to dispense reagents faster with less waste. The Tempest can dispense a 2.5μL, 1536-well plate in less than twelve seconds and a 10μL, 384-well plate in less than eight seconds. Optional plate stacking automates the entire dispensing process.

Utilizing an XYZ stage, the Tempest is compatible with 96-, 384-, 1536-, and 3456-well plates. Twelve ingredient inputs allow users to dispense highly complex plates; users can also connect the same reagent to all twelve inputs to minimize dispensing time. Since the micropumps pull the reagents from the containers, there is no need to buy specialized bottles—simply use the original ingredient containers. The Tempest also comes with the option to use pipette tips as ingredient inputs to reduce ingredient waste.

One of the Tempest’s key features is its compact design. At about three microplates wide by two microplates deep, the Tempest is nearly the same size of a toaster oven. Its open design is robot-accessible for easy integration.