Inspiration
The best way to contain a pandemic is a very sensitive test called polymerase chain reaction. Many steps of the test are performed by hand and have multiple points of failure. There is a worldwide shortage of tests that prevents us from knowing who has the disease.
What it does
The project is a sealed cabinet Containing a robotic arm, cooled centrifuge, freezer, and warming chambers, lights and photodetectors that can perform all the steps of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) without human input, yielding results that are easy to understand. Reagents are stored in cartridges and can notify a central laboratory when more are needed.
How I built it
Borrowed from the knowledge of co-workers knowledgeable in the steps necessary to perform PCR
Challenges I ran into
Hardware design
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
Knowledgeable experts believe the project is feasible and simply needs enough time and energy for successful execution
What I learned
How to create molds using cnc
What's next for RoboPcr
Design of cabinet to specifications Standardization of parameters that can vary based on the target gene
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