Anitoa Systems, LLC., a Silicon Valley biotechnology company and market leader in rapid, portable molecular testing, today announced the launch of a computer vision guided collaborative robot (Cobot) system for automating qPCR sample preparation. Code named Maverick RT, the Anitoa sample preparation cobot relies on computer vision instead of rigid position-actuation to achieve precise motion control required to handle liquid dispensing and pick-and-place of consumables such as qPCR test tubes.
Anitoa uses lower cost and compliant joint actuators to power its robotic manipulators. This technology makes the cobot to be safe and reliable in the lab environment. The computer vision system also detects abnormal conditions such as dropped pipette tips, misplaced consumables rack etc., preventing waste of material and ensure correct test result with minimum operator hands-on time.
Already a market leader in portable qPCR instruments before and during the COVID pandemic, Anitoa Systems sees the lack of skilled operator a bottleneck to molecular testing for human disease diagnostics as well as testing of food and environmental samples. Traditional liquid handling robotic systems for molecular sample preparation are too expensive and complicated to operate.
"For many years, our customers have been asking for a lower cost and reliable solution for automated sample preparation to achieve sample-to-result simplicity", said Ms. Li Liu, managing director of Anitoa Systems, "with the recent advancement in AI, computer vision and robotics technology, we finally see the technology is ready to address this important market need, and we are excited to be at the forefront of bring this technology to our customers."