OpenTrons: Open-Source Rapid Prototyping for Biology

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Accelerating research with open, affordable, & easy-to-use lab robots. We empower people to innovate with biotech.

OT.One

This is the OT.One liquid handling robot, the core of OpenTrons' rapid-prototyping platform for biotech. Shown below with a standard single channel micropipette:

This video shows some of the upgrades available to the OT.One -- the OT.MagWash station for magnetic micro-bead washes, a multi-channel micropipette, and on-board camera (see below for details on the Starter Kit and Pro Upgrade).

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Accelerate your research! 

Biologists today spend too much time moving around tiny amounts of liquid by hand. Micropipetting is a repetitive, error-prone, time consuming task, and it is slowing down research.

Pipetting got you down?

The OT.One does pipetting for you so you can focus on moving your project forward. Lower your error rate, free up your time, accelerate your research.

Let OpenTrons take care of the pipetting for you!

Testimonial from a cancer researcher.

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Synbio Starter Kit! 

Not a scientist? No problem! Our Synbio Starter Kit can get you up and running with synthetic biology!

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Together with Synbiota, we put together a kit that lets you run the "hello world" of synthetic biology -- assemble a DNA design from modular genetic blocks, and boot it up in a bacteria to make it glow red under a blacklight!

The Synbiota kit includes four Genomikon DNA Blocks: 

• an Anchor, 
• a Linker,
•  a red florescent protein gene copied from pink choral, and 
• a Cap that completes the plasmid. 

The kit also includes a standard p200 micropipette, and the OT.MagWash DNA assembly station (video above). You can assemble the DNA either by hand or with an OT.One!

OT.One Backer Options

OT.One backers have three options, the Standard Kit, the Getting Started Kit (add +$100 to the backer level), and the Pro Upgrade (add +$500 to the backer level). 

Standard Kit

Robotics:

• Raspberry Pi on board with wifi, BLE. 
• OpenTrons open-source NodeJS software bundle. 
• Industrial grade aluminum chassis. 
• Measures 2ft x 2ft x 2ft, approx. 60lbs. 
• 100 micron XYZ accuracy with the Smoothieboard Open Hardware 5x stepper motor controller. 

Workbench:

• 15 SPE well-plate capacity. 
• 100% aluminum for easy sterilization. 
• Quick-snap mounting system. 

Liquid Handling:

• Single motor mount for standard hand micropipette, single- or multi- channel. 
• Microliter accuracy, every time.

Getting Started Kit - add $100 to an OT.One

Synbiota "Hello World" 

• Run the "hello world" of synthetic biology -- assemble a DNA design, and boot it up into a bacteria to see it glow!
• Four-part Genomikon block DNA kit, Anchor, Linker, red flouecient protein gene copied from a pink choral, and a cap to complete the plasmid. 
• Lab-safe, non-toxic strain of e. coli, to transform and make glow!
• All the reagents and labware you need for the protocol. 

Standard p200 Micropipette

• Pre-fitted with OpenTrons hardware for easy and precise mounting to the OT.One.

OT.MagWash Station

• Automate magnetic micro-bead wash steps for Genomikon DNA assembly. 

Pro Upgrade - add $500 to an OT.One

Dual Pipette Mount:

• Attach a second standard micropipette, single- or multi- channel. 
• Run protocols requiring two different micropipettes in the same job. 

8-Channel Micropipette

• Eight transfers at a time for high-throughput and multiplexed protocols. 
• Pre-fitted with OpenTrons anchor hardware for easy and precise mounting to the OT.One. 

On-Board Camera

• Open for your development! 
• Future applications include job monitoring, auto positioning, colony picking, process confirmation, etc. 

Mix.Bio

• Mix.Bio is the first ever community for the peer-to-peer development of open-source automated biology protocols.

Design, share, and run protocols on Mix.Bio!

This is a video tour of Mix.Bio.

Mix.Bio lets you easily design protocols in the browser. Drag and drop tools, commands, and locations to put together OpenTrons jobs, then share them with your peers. Or, search through protocols others made and download one to run yourself! 

OpenTrons is full Open-Source! 

We stand on the shoulders of giants -- thanks especially to the Smoothieware team for such an awesome motor controller!

Full Open-Source -- Hardware, Software, Science

Friends and Partners

Risks and challenges

Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

Manufacturing is always a challenge, but it is one we are prepared for. We spent the summer in Shenzhen, China, where we solidified a network of suppliers and manufacturers that we know will deliver quality, affordable robots starting in April 2015.

We also avoided parts in the OT.One that require difficult, time-intensive custom tools and molds to make. That makes manufacturing much less complicated, and is one of the main reasons we are so confident we can start shipping to early-bird backers in April.

Also, we are part of Haxlr8r, a hardware accelerator in Shenzhen, and are working with Seeed Studio, the open-hardware facilitator, for manufacturing. Both Hax and Seeed have tons of experience delivering on Kickstarter campaigns, and we are excited to be a part of their awesome network!

Manufacturing is never easy, but we are as prepared as possible to deliver quality robots starting in April!

ORIGINAL: KickStarter

by OpenTrons