Aquamatics Technologies is dedicated to upholding safety and has taken steps for lab and product safety.
Lab Safety:
In order to safely conduct our experiments, our team went through a series of trainings prior to entering the lab and starting our iGEM project:
- Lab Safety Training
- Bio Safety Levels 1 and 2 Training
- Recombinant DNA/IBC Policies Training
- Lab Access and Rules
- Responsible Individuals
- Emergency Procedures
- Chemical Safety
- Fire and Electricity Safety
Aquamatic Technologies works within an open bench lab. Team members used proper personal protective equipment at necessary times, handled all materials with care, and kept the workspace clean. When using machinery such as 3D Printers, CNC Desktop Milling Machines, Photomultiplier Tubes, or 3-Axis Milling Machines our team reached out for proper assistance and instruction.
While our team is hardware focused, we still recieved guidance about the safe use and risks of biohazardous materials and organisms, including all infectious agents or biologically derived infectious materials that present either a risk or a potential risk to the health of humans or animals, through the Boston University Office of Environmental Health & Safety.
We were given specific training for handling pathogenic agents and are supervised by scientists/faculty that are competent in handling infectious agents and associated procedures. Because our laboratory is in a shared space, we ensured that access to the laboratory was restricted when work was being conducted to protect the safety of others.
Product and User Safety:
The AM1 is a product designed with user safety in mind.
The automated capabilities of the AM1 limit direct user interactions with the system. After inputting the user-chosen biosensor, all users need to do is optomize selected parameters via the mounted touchscreen, limiting hands-on involvement with liquids. Any liquids will be contained within the product completely, as we have ensured that our sampling tubes have sufficient closure and stop valves to prevent back flow of liquids and any interaction between our electronic hardware and the aquatic environments. The entire device is also enclosed within stable and secure housing.
Additionally, we created a manual outlining how one should approach using the AM1, both for increased safety and to help everyone receive the best results possible.