Instrument Design Awards: New Ideas

The annual IBO Design Awards recognize advances in the industrial design of lab instruments, lab equipment (page 6) and portable instruments (page 7). To be eligible, products must have begun commercial shipments between August 1, 2014, and July 31. Criteria include innovation, functionality and utility.

Gold Award

Fluidigm’s Juno SNP genotyping platform, this year’s winner of the IBO Gold Award for lab instrument industrial design, is in a class by itself. Juno resembles a high-end consumer electronic device with a distinct aesthetic appeal, embodied by its angled profile, unique casing texture and patterns, sharp lines, and novel color scheme. The system’s bold but sophisticated appearance attracts and engages the user, as well as highlights its advanced technology and brand identity.

The Juno measures 50 x 43.9 x 69.8 cm (19.7 x 17.3 x 27.5 in) and weighs 62 kg (137 lb). The system was developed with design firm fuseproject. Based on Fluidigm’s integrated fluidic circuit technology, the Juno automates and simplifies genotyping sample preparation.

The first priority of the Juno’s design was a new approach to the standard boxy design of lab instruments, according to Christian Johnson, senior director of Instrument Research and Development at Fluidigm. The design paradigm was also created with future Fluidigm products in mind. As Fluidigm’s President and CEO Gajus Worthington stated, “The work that our customers undertake is simply amazing, and we decided that our customers’ experience of everything related to Fluidigm should be similarly exceptional. This includes the industrial design of our products.”

The Juno design process, including implementing manufacturability, took 18 months, as the design required new fabrication techniques and vendors. As Mr. Johnson told IBO, “Juno was primarily aesthetic driven. The instrument embodies our desire to create a new look for Fluidigm. The core of Juno architecture needed to accommodate the form-factor and still live on a lab bench. This drove the footprint to what it is today.”

The system’s cabinet is among its unique design features. “Juno diverges from the standard, folded sheet metal cabinet that pervades the industry. Juno’s shell is computer numerical control machined and built from a dozen unique nonflat panels. Fit and finish presented a challenge when the different parts were integrated,” explained Mr. Johnson.

The industrial design also increased the functionality of the user interface (UI). “Juno’s instrument display increased in size to improve the UI of the instrument,” said Mr. Johnson. “The display also blended better with the front of the instrument by occupying what would have been a lot of black space. The UI contains more information and presents that information better than the smaller display found on our C1 system.”

The design also facilitates service. “Serviceability is substantially improved with the addition of hardware that allows the core instrument to slide out of the shell for better access when initially assembling the instrument and for troubleshooting issues in the instrument when it is installed in the lab,” noted Mr. Johnson.

Silver Award

The 2015 IBO Silver Award for instrument industrial design goes to Fungilab’s V-Compact rotational viscometer. The system utilizes a purely wireless interface to eliminate buttons and screens. The simple, elegant frame and head balance features to create a clean, sleek appearance that reinvents the appearance of the lab viscometer.

The V-Compact measures 53 x 12 x 20 cm (20.9 x 4.7 x 7.9 in). Weight specs were unavailable. Pricing is $7,000–$9,000.

The design was a byproduct of the company’s desire to create an instrument controlled only by tablet or cell phone, according to Diana Hernandez, Marketing and Communications representative for Fungilab. “The company was eager to design an instrument without the unnecessary components and modules that, for many other laboratory technologies, are [considered] essential for full functionality.”

Employing this user interface, the system’s footprint was reduced, user interaction was updated for increased functionality, and new capabilities, such as remote operation, were added. “Our priority is to enhance the user experience by simplifying and streamlining their research processes at the testing phase,” explained Ms. Hernandez. “The V-Compact is a sleek and innovative instrument that does not consume a lot of space. It’s easily customizable, less wasteful and more user friendly.”

The design of the mobile interface was an important consideration. The interface had to be intuitive, polished and modern, according to Ms. Hernandez. “Designing an instrument that could be completely controlled on a tablet or mobile phone was a tremendous challenge.”

The system’s sleek appearance and purely mobile interface is also aimed at young researchers. “We recognize that a growing demographic of researchers are students on track to complete their degrees and establish a footing in this industry,” said Ms. Hernandez. “Accessibility is the foundation of the V-Compact. If students already depend so heavily on their mobile devices, why not provide them the opportunity to control their research on these mediums as well?”

The design also enables easy changes to instrument parameters. “One of the standout features of the V-Compact’s design is the ability to customize the range of the viscometer without purchasing an alternative instrument. To test with a different range, the user can purchase a new V-Compact Boss Head. It’s compact, easily portable and even easier to install.”

Bronze Award

Xenocs’s Nano-inXider small-angle/wide-angle x-ray scattering instrument (SAXS/WAXS) is the winner of the 2015 IBO Bronze Award for instrument industrial design. The system presents a compact, streamlined and innovative vision for SAXS/WAXS, reimagining a traditionally awkward and bulky instrument. The system measures 87 x 240 x 93 cm (34.3 x 94.5 x 36.6 in) and weighs 350 kg (772 lb).

The vertical arrangement ensures what Xenocs calls the smallest footprint of an SAXS/WAXS on the market. The curved, blue center tower creates an elegant and inviting appearance that highlights ease of use and accessibility. The white sides and center frame balance the system, reinforcing its streamlined elements and smaller footprint, and inviting the user to interact with the system. The center frame lifts for sample placement, providing easy access and enabling a large sample space that accommodates multiple accessories. Ergonomic features include quick-connect interfaces.