Robotic System for Infectious Disease Testing

A new robotic system is designed for use in the in vitro molecular diagnostic testing for infectious diseases. The system has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The BD Viper system is a new approach to laboratory automation that uses an industrial class of robotics known as selective compliance assembly robot arm (SCARA). This classification means that the robot is multi-jointed (four-axis), similar to the human arm. The system, from BD Diagnostics (Baltimore, MD), a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA), automates manual and semi-automated steps of BD's ProbeTec system DNA amplification assay for the detection of chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

Incubations, amplification, and detection all occur on the BD Viper system, with repetitive pipetting labor delegated to the robot. The SCARA approach delivers a robust instrument by eliminating all pumps, syringes, and reagent tubing, often thought of as the Achilles' heel of traditional lab equipment in terms of maintenance and reliability.

The high throughput of the Viper system also helps address the critical shortage of technologists in laboratories. By minimizing hands-on-time, the technologist can take advantage of "load and go” workflow, allowing the robot to do the processing work.

"The automation of the BD Viper system allows the clinical laboratory to process several hundred more samples per day with no increase to our staff,” stated Jill MacAfee, CLS, M.B.A, director of laboratory services and clinical trials for Planned Parenthood in Mar Monte (San Jose, CA, USA).




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