A portable analytical instrument requires special design considerations. Size, weight and ergonomics figure more prominently, for example. Special design features may also be required to make the instrument rugged and easy to hold. The winners of IBO’s 2010 Industrial Design Awards for Portable Instruments fulfill these requirements and utilize design to integrate portability and functionality. IBO defines a portable instrument as an instrument with a useful life beyond 12 months, that is used to sense a sample characteristic, weighs less than 30 lb and can be operated while being held.

Gold Award

IBO’s 2010 Gold Award for Portable Instrument Industrial Design goes to EMD Millipore’s Scepter Handheld Automated Cell Counter. The Scepter reinvents the design of an automated cell counter to make it portable. The streamlined appearance, color scheme, and digital display convey the product’s innovation, ease of use and advantages.

John Sweeney, vice president at EMD Millipore for Life Science, told IBO: “Traditional automated cell counting systems are large, expensive and lack portability. The genius of the Scepter design is the ability to count cells using ‘gold standard’ cell-counting technology anywhere in the lab.”

The Scepter measures 5.5 x 29 cm (2.2 x 11.4 in) and weighs 229.5 g (0.5 lb). The list price is $2,995. Using electronic impedance, the instrument can measure cell concentration, size and volume.

The Scepter took one year to develop. Mr. Sweeney said that challenges included integrating the vacuum source and optimizing the control and measurement of the analog signals.

The industrial design was influenced by the shape and feel of a pipette, according to Mr. Sweeney. The cylinder-shaped design is familiar, comfortable to hold and allows for one-handed operation. “Scientists are very comfortable using portable pipettors. The goal was to develop a novel cell-counting solution that incorporated proven measurement technology in a user friendly design,” he said.

Silver Award

The 2010 IBO Silver Award for Portable Instrument Industrial Design goes to Forston Labs’ LabNavigator for water analysis. The instrument has six sensor inputs, allowing a wide choice of measurement technologies and parameters. The product’s compact design enables it to be held securely in one hand, but allows for a sizable graphic display and easy operation. Color and shape balance the design.

Measuring 10 x 16.5 x 4 cm (3.9 x 6.5 x 1.6 in), the LabNavigator weighs 350 g (0.77 lb). It is water resistant and can withstand a three-foot drop. It also includes a built-in microphone for audio recording. The 7 x 5.3 cm (2.8 x 2.1 in) screen provides system control and data display, as well as an onscreen keyboard.

Bronze Award

The winner of IBO’s 2010 Bronze award for Portable Instrument Industrial Design is Wagtech’s Metalyser HM1000, which uses anodic and cathodic stripping voltammetry to monitor water for copper, cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic down to ppb levels.

The instrument’s simple interface consists of an LCD display window and joystick for cursor control, enabling one-handed operation and allowing the other hand to hold the sonde under water. The waterproof system does not require a PC.

The curved shape of the instrument’s bottom half distinguishes it from other in-field measurement systems and highlights its portability. The Metalyser HM1000 measures 370 x 470 x 170 mm (14.6 x 18.5 x 6.7 in) and weighs 9 kg (19.8 lb).