Hardware

About

To meet our overarching goal to interface living engineered systems with digital technology, a set of hardware and software tools is required. We developed the hardware part of our toolkit, to address our needs for technically accessible and cheap devices that allow for the precise control and monitoring of gene expression. While some of these devices are adapted from traditional apparatus of Electrochemistry, or adapted from the recent literature on initiative to build bio-digital interfaces, some of the devices we have produced and use in our work are entirely new and allow both for optimization of engeneering strategy through high throughput experiments and for basic research of IonoBiology [1]



In Brief

AC Dispatcher (ACD):

An Arduino based device that can take AC or DC signals in inputs, gate it through 6 relays and dispatch them individually to each of the 5 pads of the Electro-Micro-Slide to the each individual wells of the High Throughput Electro Actuator (HTEA) . It is controlled by the Electro Planner
We used this device in the screening experiment and most membrane potential related preliminary work


High Throughput Electro Actuator (HTEA):

An array of interchangeable electrodes matching the layout of a standard 96 well plate that can be used to dispatch signals from the AC Dispatcher (ACD) to each of the 96 individual wells. It is controlled by the Electro-planner through the ACD.
We used this device in the screening experiment and most membrane potential related preliminary work


Electro-Mico-Slide:
A PCB in the shape of a microscope slide harbouring 5 bridgeable gold electrode. It can be used with the AC Dispatcher (ACD) and the Electro Planner to expose cells to electrical signal in solid medium.

Electro Planner:
A custom made Software that control all of our hardware. This Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows for planning experiment though third party software (such as Excel).
We used the Electo Planner in the screening experiment and most membrane potential related preliminary work. It is hosting our interface between Electro Genetics and the Internet.
IO Rodeo Potentiostat:
An open source potentiostat we have characterised and adapted to global current shortage of semi conductors and electronic parts. It can be used both as a sensor for the Output devices of our Electro-Genetic Framework and as an actuator for the Input Devices of the toolkit.
We used this device in most experiments involving redox sensing Input mechanism of our Electro-Genetic Framework

Dummy Cell:
A simple Dummy Cell used to calibrate the IO Rodeo potentiostat

Dropsens Adapter:
An extremely cheap, PCB and 3D printed case to use classic screen printed electrode with the IO Rodeo Potentiostat and the Electrical Conductivity +OD sensor (EC+OD)

Electrical Conductivity +OD sensor (EC+OD)
A set of PCB and 3D printed devices holding 14 mL culture tubes and Dropsense electrode. It can be used both as a sensor for the Output devices of our Electro-Genetic Framework and as an actuator for the Input Devices of the toolkit.
96 Well plate replicator
A cheap laser cut device to copy 96 well plates.
We used this device in the screening experiment and most membrane potential related preliminary work

AC Dispatcher (ACD)

An Arduino based device that can take AC or DC signals in inputs, gate it through 6 relays and dispatch them individually to each of the 5 pads of the Electro-Micro-Slide or to the each individual wells of the High Throughput Electro Actuator (HTEA) . It is controlled by the Electro Planner We used this device in the screening experiment and most membrane potential related preliminary work

High Throughput Electro Actuator (HTEA)

An array of interchangeable electrodes matching the layout of a standard 96 well plate that can be used to dispatch signals from the AC Dispatcher (ACD) to each of the 96 individual wells. It is controlled by the Electro-planner through the ACD. We used this device in the Screening of electrically active promoters and most membrane potential related preliminary work

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Electro-Micro-Slide

A PCB in the shape of a microscope slide harbouring 5 bridgeable gold electrode. It can be used with the AC Dispatcher (ACD) and the Electro Planner to expose cells to electrical signal in solid medium.

Used for:
Inputs
Screening
Used with:
Used in:

Electro Planner

A software to interface (monitor and control) with all of the Hardware from the Hardware collection
It enable Experiment planning for the High throughput Electro Actuator (HTEA) and the Micro-Electro-Slide.
We also showed that, using this framework, it was trivial to connect our hardware (hence to time interaction with or wetware) to any internet application hence showcasing a simple integration with the Internet of Living Things

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IO Rodeo Potentiostat

An open source potentiostat we have characterised and adapted to global current shortage of semi conductors and electronic parts.
It can be used both as a sensor for the Output devices ( Electrical Resistance as a measure of Growth) of our Electro-Genetic Framework and as an actuator for the Input Devices of the toolkit (See pSoxS Experiments). We used this device in most experiments involving redox sensing mechanism

Dummy Cell

A custom made Software that control all of our hardware. This Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows for planning experiment though third party software (such as excel). We used the Electo Planner in the screening experiment and most membrane potential related preliminary work. It is hosting our interface between Electro Genetics and the Internet.

Responsive image

Dropsens Adapter

An extremely cheap, PCB and 3D printed case to use classic screen printed electrode with the IO Rodeo Potentiostat and the Electrical Conductivity +OD sensor (EC+OD)

Electrical Conductivity +OD sensor (EC+OD)

A set of PCB and 3D printed devices holding 14 mL culture tubes and Dropsense electrode. It can be used both as a sensor for the Output devices of our Electro-Genetic Framework and as an actuator for the Input Devices of the toolkit.

Responsive image

96 Well Plate Replicator

An extremely cheep laser cut and 3d printed device to copy 96 well plates. We used this device when manipulating the E. coli promoter collection used in our project

Used for:
Inputs
Screening
Used in: