ACAPELLA-1K: A biomechatronic fluid handling system for genome analysis that processes 1000 samples in 8 hours

An automated biomechatronic submicroliter fluid handling system for process ing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been developed in the Genomation Labora tory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seatt le. This first generation system, ACAPELLA-1K, can process 1000 samples in 8 h in preparation for DNA sequencing using sample volumes ten times smalle r than current state-of-the art manual and automated instrumentation, The s ystem is based upon a proof-of-concept system that was developed by the Gen omation Laboratory and presented in the LEEE/ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRON ICS in 1997, The ACAPELLA-1K is the first integration of modules for fluid aspiration, dispensing, mixing, transport, and thermal processing that have been designed and developed with corporate partners Orca Photonic Systems, Inc., Redmond, WA, and Engineering Arts, Mercer island, WA, These modules, comprising piezoceramic actuators, pneumatic pumps, linear mechanisms, the rmal controllers, optical sensors, electronics, computer control, and softw are, are described in detail, Processing statistics are presented and succe ssful experimental results are presented. The Genomation Laboratory is pres ently developing the next-stage "ACAPELLA-5K" system based on the results o f the ACAPELLA-1K; system. This system,will process 5000 samples in 8 h for use in molecular biology such as high-throughput DNA sequencing for the Hu man Genome Project, diagnostics, DNA fingerprinting, drug discovery, enviro nmental testing, protein crystallography, and so on.