What is PIXL?

An ultra-reliable and super-easy-to-use microbial colony picker. PIXL automates imaging, colony recognition, colony selection, and picking; from Petri dishes to multiwell plates.

Why PIXL?

PIXL has a 99% Transfer Efficiency across a range of multiple organisms._colony picker

99% Transfer Efficiency

With precision agar surface detection on every pick
PIXL will never miss a colony.

Pick diverse micro-organisms with PIXL_colony picker

Pick Diverse Microorganisms

Out of the box, PIXL is compatible with
even the most diverse microorganisms, without the requirement for additional expensive hardware.

PickUp reel for PIXL_colony picker

Maintain Sterility

Over 33,000 sterile, disposable tips
in a single, low-cost PickupLine.
(That’s <2 cents per pick, cheaper than a pipette tip).

Run PIXL picking workflows_colony picker

Train Everyone

90% of the functionality can be learned in as little
as 10 minutes. Lab automation should be accessible,
long gone are the days of requiring specialist technicians.

Trace your data with PIXL_colony picker

Trace your Data

Trace everything with efficient software and passworded user profiles.

Pick fluorescence colonies with PIXL_colony picker

Detect Fluorescence

6-channel, flat-field SpectraStar™
incident illumination.

identify colonies of interest

With filtering options for size, fluorescence intensity, shape, colour, and inhibition zones, you can easily find the colony phenotype you’re looking for.

Zone of Inhibition PIXL software_colony picker

Select colonies efficiently

Pick colonies with our revolutionary Pickupline. Compatible with diverse microorganisms with a picking efficiency of 99%.

PIXL picking random colonies_colony picker

Maintain sterility

PIXL uses the freshly cut end of a sterile PickupLine to transfer microbial colonies. It eliminates the requirement for washing cycles and the associated chance of contamination.

PIXL Blade & Anvil Kit_colony picker

Create a colony picking workflow in minutes

Multiple user logins with PIXL_icon_colony picker

1. Login

PIXL remembers the last used settings; stores templates and logs user actions and parameters.

Select your plate type with PIXL_Icon_colony picker

2. Select the plate

Petri or PlusPlate. Pick from the whole plate or define sectors of interest.

Choose colonies with PIXL_icon_colony picker

3. Choose colonies

Filter selected colonies by size, colour, proximity, intensity, and shape.

Select target plate with PIXL_icon_colony picker

4. Select the target plate

Select the number of replicates; on any density, in any pattern, agar, or liquid.

Picking colonies with PIXL icon_colony picker

5. Pick colonies

Review your workflow, estimated time, and number of plates required, then press go and walk away.

Export colony data with PIXL_icon_colony picker

6. Export data

Export your protocol, colony information, and parameters as a CSV file.

PIXL Workflows

Random Colony Picking icon_colony picker

Random Colony Picking

Pick random colonies from circular, rectangular, or square plates to agar or liquid target plates. Customise your workflow with loads of sectoring, layout, and mixing options.

Colony Detection icon_colony picker

Colony
Detection

Image and detect your colonies of interest and export experimental data without running a workflow.

Zone of inhibition Analysis icon_colony picker

Zone of Inhibition Analysis

Automatically identify central colonies, measure their inhibition zones, and pick colonies of interest.

Re-array Colonies_colony picker

Pick colonies from user-defined locations and place them at user-defined positions. This is completely customisable and can use several plate types. Select exact colony coordinates or traditional well locations.

Which PIXL setup is right for you?

Precision Microbial Colony Picker PIXL set up.

PIXL

PIXL, is for users looking to automate manual colony picking with an intuitive and user-friendly robot.

Precision Microbial Colony Picker PIXL in Anaerobic Chamber.

PIXL with Anaerobic Chamber

A customised anaerobic chamber designed for PIXL with user experience in mind, making integration seamless.

Automation-ready PIXL

PIXL, is equipped with a light curtain that can be easily integrated with various robotic arm providers.

PIXL Resources

Precision Microbial Colony Picker PIXL picking yeast.

Precision Microbial Colony Picker PIXL.

Synthesising a designer yeast chromosome with the help of PIXL

Frequently asked questions

Source plates can be 90mm and 150mm Petri dishes, OmniTray SBS rectangular plates or 120mm square plates. Target plates can be 96 and 384 multiwell, deep well and PCR plates and OmniTray rectangular plates with pinning densities ranging from 96-1536. Allowing you to create custom workflows to suit your lab’s needs.

Watch PIXL picking to a variety of plate types: https://www.singerinstruments.com/resource/versatile/

PIXL maintenance is very minimal and intuitive, with easy-to-follow instructions on the user interface. Changing the PickupLine is straightforward, minimising experimental downtime.

“The maintenance is really low, even changing the filament is a piece of cake. Everyone can use the machine.” Dr. Daniel Schindler from the Max Planck Institute

We have distributors across the world in:

China (Punmicro)
Japan (Asahi and MinervaTech)
Korea (Hoil Biomed)
Poland (A-BioTech)
Latin America (Mendel)
Taiwan (Major Instruments)
Australia (BioTools)
India, Nepal and Bangladesh (ILB)
UK & rest of the world (Singer Instruments)

If you have any questions regarding distribution please get in touch here.

PIXL was designed with automation in mind. We are happy to work with automation providers to integrate PIXL into larger workflows. Get in touch here to find out more information.

PIXL holds one source plate and four destination plates, however, in re-array mode, you can cherry-pick from multiple source plates to the same destination plate. Schedule a chat with a Scientific Advisor here to explore how to automate your workflow with PIXL.

Get in touch

Our product experts are on hand to answer your questions about our robots and scopes.
Whether you want to explore your workflow needs, get a quote, request a live demo,
or geek out about science.

What would you like to do?