HardwareX最新文献

{"title":"Automated entrance monitoring to investigate honey bee foraging trips using open-source wireless platform and fiducial tags","authors":"Diego Penaloza-Aponte ,&nbsp;Sarabeth Brandt ,&nbsp;Erin Dent ,&nbsp;Robyn M. Underwood ,&nbsp;Benedict DeMoras ,&nbsp;Selina Bruckner ,&nbsp;Margarita M. López-Uribe ,&nbsp;Julio V. Urbina","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00609","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00609","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Honey bee foraging is a complex behavior because it involves tens of thousands of organisms making decisions about where to collect pollen and nectar based on the quality of resources and the distance to flowers. Studying this aspect of their biology is possible through direct observations but the large number of individuals involved in this behavior makes the implementation of technologies ideal to scale up this type of study. Consequently, there is a need for instruments that can facilitate accurate assessments of honey bee foraging at the colony level. To address this need, this work aimed to develop an automated imaging system for monitoring the in-and-out activity of honey bee foragers as they walk through a customized entrance with a camera sensor at the hive entrance. We used AprilTags attached to each bee’s thorax to provide unique identification numbers that allowed the system to track in-and-out events throughout the foraging season of the colony. Our design relies on low-cost Raspberry Pi computers and cameras, along with commercially off-the-shelf components, making it easily reproducible with the open-source documentation provided. We successfully deployed and evaluated our system in six locations, demonstrating consistent results. In this paper, we present the details about the development of the system, data collected from multiple colonies, and post-processing analysis from one of our apiaries. Our results highlight the system’s effectiveness in monitoring honey bee trips, capturing various behaviors associate with their activities outside the colony, which lay the groundwork for future estimations of foraging distances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00609"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142747230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low cost, portable, 3D printable tissue precision slicer","authors":"Beatriz Martinez-Martin ,&nbsp;Isabella Lambros ,&nbsp;Lukas Nuesslein ,&nbsp;Yubing Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00611","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00611","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Slicing tissue samples into thin pieces is commonly used in histology analysis and more recently for organotypic culture when tissue samples are sliced alive. Currently available devices for slicing tissue samples are either designed for fixed tissue samples at low cryogenic temperatures (<em>e.g.</em>, Cryostats), or bulky and expensive (<em>e.g.</em>, vibratome), preventing them from routine lab usage. Here we report a cost-effective device designed to section live tissues for subsequent culture. This device consists of components crafted from 3D-printed Nylon-12- a material suitable for autoclaving to ensure sterility. Its small footprint enhances portability, allowing for convenient placement within a biosafety cabinet for an added layer of sterility assurance. Using human pluripotent stem cells derived brain organoids as an example, we demonstrated that the device both precisely and accurately makes slices. We further validate its suitability for long-term culture by extended tissue culture following slicing. Our results indicate that brain organoid slices are viable and show improved proliferation rate compared with unsliced organoids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00611"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142704762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Low-cost automated cell counting module fabricated using CNC milling and soft lithography","authors":"Takanobu Takenouchi ,&nbsp;Yuta Iijima ,&nbsp;Kazuyo Ito ,&nbsp;Daisuke Yoshino","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00605","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00605","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cell counting is one of the basic and essential procedures that researchers in cell biology, bioengineering, and other related fields learn at the outset. Systems based on various measurement principles are commercially available, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of performance, cost, and footprint. Herein, we developed a cost-effective, scalable, and compact module that enables cell counting with reasonable accuracy, throughput, and sensitivity. This cell counting module had a size of 29 × 48 × 16 mm and a cost of $165 USD. The module can be assembled by simply inserting commercially available optical and electronic components into a housing printed by CNC milling and soft lithography. To take full advantage of this module, we built an automated cell counting system using open-source and commercially available development platforms. The module exhibited a measurement accuracy (<em>i.e.</em>, guaranteed accuracy in the concentration range of 0–500 cells/µL) and sorting resolution (<em>i.e.</em>, selection of particles with diameters of 5 µm and 15 µm) tolerable for cellular experiments. This low-cost and small-size module can be a sufficient replacement for a routine system in cell experiments. We anticipate our work will benefit research fields such as cell biology and bioengineering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00605"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142704760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SuMOS, a submerged microscope for observing substrates: Studying benthic activity in aquatic environments","authors":"Jens Wira,&nbsp;Allen R. Place","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00610","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00610","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Described here is the construction of a low-cost, standalone underwater camera system designed for recording processes occurring on aquatic substrates. The Submerged Microscope for Observing Substrates (SuMOS) utilizes a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W paired with a Raspberry Pi Camera Module v3 NoIR, with IR illumination for low-light situations. It features a waterproof housing inspired by the open-source PipeCam project, with enhancements for sealing and substrate mounting. The SuMOS system operates autonomously, capturing high-resolution images at fixed intervals under various lighting conditions. Tests in the Choptank River of Maryland demonstrated the system’s robustness in capturing patterns of amphipod activity under challenging optical conditions. This versatile tool offers a scalable solution for highly time-resolved, <em>in situ</em> studies of processes occurring at the interface of the aquatic/solid surface boundaries. The SuMOS provides significant advantages in cost, ease of deployment, and data collection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00610"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142704759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Open-source insect camera trap with vibrational detection and luring for monitoring Stictocephala basalis (Walker, Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae)","authors":"Vincent Vaughn ,&nbsp;Andrew Ensinger ,&nbsp;Edwin Harris ,&nbsp;Elijah Shumway ,&nbsp;Rachele Nieri ,&nbsp;Vaughn Walton ,&nbsp;John Selker ,&nbsp;Chet Udell","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00604","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00604","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We have developed a novel device for automatic sensing, luring, and imaging insects that use substrate-borne vibrational signals for identifying and locating mating partners. The device is capable of measuring the activity patterns of these insects in a local area. It is intended to be used for monitoring pest insects; the current version of the device focuses on the treehopper species <em>Stictocephala basalis</em> (Walker, Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae) that may serve as a vector for Grapevine Red Blotch Disease. The device detects male treehoppers by sensing their mating calls using a piezoelectric contact microphone attached to a host plant, and lures them towards an imaging area by playing a prerecorded female mating call using a vibration exciter. This work is significant because previous efforts towards agricultural pest monitoring through biotremology methods has achieved only limited practical application. The trap has successfully detected and recorded wild treehopper mating calls and activity patterns, and it provides a pathway towards targeted, non-toxic pest control of various insect species that use vibrational communication. The system may be adapted to physically trap insects or alter damaging behavior in various cropping systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00604"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142704761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ardulake temperature profiler: An open-source, low-cost, automated monitoring system to unravel the mixing behavior of lakes","authors":"Guillermo Goyenola,&nbsp;Javier García-Climent","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00606","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the thermal classification of lakes based on mixing regimes is fundamental in limnology. Although this classification has traditionally been considered well-established, recent studies highlight variations in the mixing behaviors of ponds and shallow lakes. This paper introduces the Ardulake temperature profiler, an innovative, simple, and autonomous high-frequency temperature monitoring system designed for shallow to moderately deep lakes (3.5 to 10 m). Utilizing Arduino technology and GPRS telemetry, the system is cost-effective, with electronic components and sensors costing approximately USD 250 and buoy construction and deployment around USD 1000. The Ardulake enables real-time environmental temperature monitoring and data storage on an online platform for subsequent analysis and visualization. The collected data supports ecosystem research and the numerical modeling of thermal behavior in lakes. Key strengths of the system include low production and maintenance costs, replicability, and customization capabilities. Challenges, such as interference from animal activity, are addressed with recommended preventive measures tailored to specific fauna. Overall, the Ardulake temperature profiler offers a practical tool for advancing limnological research, with potential for modification to various environmental monitoring objectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00606"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142655641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aquality32: A low-cost, open-source air quality monitoring device leveraging the ESP32 and google platform","authors":"Daniel M. Pineda-Tobón,&nbsp;Albeiro Espinosa-Bedoya,&nbsp;Jhon W. Branch-Bedoya","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00607","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00607","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present AQuality32, an open-source air quality monitoring device designed to address the challenges faced by small research teams in accessing affordable and versatile air quality monitoring solutions. The device utilizes an ESP32 System on Module (SoM) and integrates sensors for CO₂ (SDC30 from Sensirion) and particulate matter (HM3301 from Seeed) measurement, along with temperature, relative humidity, and extensive sensing possibilities. It can be powered by a battery and is suitable for both stationary and on-the-go measurements. The paper details the hardware description, building instructions, programming, calibration procedures, and data collection setup for AQuality32. Validation experiments assess communication stability, geolocation accuracy, and environmental monitoring capabilities. The results demonstrate the device’s reliability, affordability, and suitability for various applications in environmental sciences, public health, and indoor/outdoor air quality monitoring. The paper emphasizes the importance of robust solutions, openness, and easy documentation for widespread adoption and impact in air quality research and monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00607"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142655683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LabEmbryoCam: An opensource phenotyping system for developing aquatic animals","authors":"Ziad Ibbini ,&nbsp;Maria Bruning ,&nbsp;Sakina Allili ,&nbsp;Luke A Holmes ,&nbsp;Ellen Tully ,&nbsp;Jamie McCoy ,&nbsp;Benjamin Larsen ,&nbsp;Tony Wilson ,&nbsp;Guy Ludford ,&nbsp;Jack Barrett-Kelly ,&nbsp;John I. Spicer ,&nbsp;Oliver Tills","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phenomics is the acquisition of high-dimensional data on an individual-wide scale and is proving transformational in areas of biological research related to human health including medicine and the crop sciences. However, more broadly, a lack of accessible transferrable technologies and research approaches is significantly hindering the uptake of phenomics, in contrast to molecular-omics for which transferrable technologies have been a significant enabler. Aquatic embryos are natural models for phenomics, due to their small size, taxonomic diversity, ecological relevance, and high levels of temporal, spatial and functional change. Here, we present LabEmbryoCam, an autonomous phenotyping platform for timelapse imaging of developing aquatic embryos cultured in a multiwell plate format, and while optimised for embryos, the instrument is extremely versatile. The LabEmbryoCam capitalises on 3D printing, single board computers, consumer electronics and stepper motor enabled motion. We combine these into a compact and modular laboratory insturment to provide X, Y and Z motion of a camera and lens, a web application streamlined for rapid setup of experiments, user email notifications and a humidification chamber to reduce evaporation over prolonged acquisitions. Downstream analyses are provided, enabling automated embryo segmentation, heartrate measurement, motion tracking, and energy proxy trait (EPT) measurement. The LabEmbryoCam is a scalable, and flexible laboratory instrument, that leverages embryonic and early life stage organisms to tackle key global challenges including biological sensitivity assessment, toxicological screening, but also to support broader engagement with the earliest stages of life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00602"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142655697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A customizable and low-cost 3D-printed transwell device coupled with 3D cell culture for permeability assay","authors":"Pitaksit Supjaroen ,&nbsp;Wisanu Niamsi ,&nbsp;Pannawich Thirabowonkitphithan ,&nbsp;Parichut Thummarati ,&nbsp;Wanida Laiwattanapaisal","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The permeability-based assay is commonly used to assess intestinal barrier function, and it relies on using a transwell insert as an essential compartment. The device consists of a semipermeable membrane that is attached at the bottom of the insert and splits the system into the apical and basolateral compartments. However, commercial inserts are standardized with different pore sizes based on the application and offer only a flat plane of two-dimensional cell culture. Herein, we present a simple, low-cost 3D-printed transwell device and a robust method to functionalize the inserts for paper-based 3D cell culture. This 3D-printed device was fabricated from a polylactic acid (PLA) filament, and a paper membrane used to support HT-29 cells for intestinal permeability assessment. A device showed good biocompatibility when culturing HT-29 cells for 48 and 72 h with 97 % and 98 % cell viability, respectively. Together with fluorescence images, cells were attached directly to the microfiber networks of a Matrigel-functionalized paper, indicating that the functionalized paper is biocompatible and bioactive. Furthermore, in a more appropriate culture microenvironment, SEM analyses revealed cellular features differentiating into mucus-secreting cells, evidenced by the formation of microvilli on the cell surface, which was further confirmed by immunofluorescence staining of villin-1. To demonstrate the usability of the 3D-printed transwell device, intestinal permeability was assessed using both chemical and biological stimulation treatments. The permeability results employing FITC-dextran validated the association between a different level of relative fluorescence intensity unit (RFU) and the orange color of live cells by CellTracker^TM. As a result, this 3D-printed transwell device provides a straightforward and cost-effective method for manufacturing a device for customization in many laboratory settings, making it a feasible alternative to marketed transwell devices that do not allow for customization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00603"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142655696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An open source isolated data acquisition with trigger pulse generation for ion mobility spectrometry","authors":"Tim Kobelt,&nbsp;Martin Lippmann,&nbsp;Alexander Nitschke,&nbsp;Lou Kielhorn,&nbsp;Stefan Zimmermann","doi":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ion mobility spectrometers (IMS) are used in a wide variety of applications, including trace gas detection in safety and security applications, but also in more analytical applications, e.g., in medicine or food quality monitoring. Consequently, IMS are often coupled with other separation techniques and laboratory equipment, requiring synchronization between the external equipment and the IMS electronics. In addition, IMS and the associated electronics are becoming increasingly complex due to ongoing instrumental developments. In this work, we present an open source data acquisition hardware tailored to the requirements of advanced IMS, but also applicable to other applications. The data acquisition hardware provides trigger pulses for synchronized operation of the IMS ion gate or external devices. In addition, the data acquisition hardware allows for parallel digitalization using two isolated 16-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADC) with up to 250<!--> <!-->kilosamples per second. The galvanically isolated trigger input ensures a synchronized start of the IMS measurements, particularly when connecting external instrumentation such as a gas chromatograph. Furthermore, due to the isolated ADCs, the hardware allows great flexibility in defining the ground potential of the instrument setup.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37503,"journal":{"name":"HardwareX","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article e00600"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142552333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}