What is PIXL Dark?
PIXL Dark is an automation-ready variant of the ultra-reliable and super-easy-to-use microbial colony picker PIXL that makes it quick and easy to integrate a robotic arm into your workflow, now or in the future. Its seamless compatibility with multiple integration providers enables walkaway automation for colony picking workflows while maintaining the safe, sterile environment you need for your experiments.
Why PIXL Dark?
Scale up
Automate the picking of 437,760 colonies a month* (based on a 24 hour run) to achieve a reliable cost effective method for precision colony picking.
*Based on an average of 600 colonies picked per hour with precision technology and zero downtime.
Robot friendly
Tested with multiple integration providers, with excellent documentation, and an API provided with every unit, PIXL Dark is automation-ready from day one.
Futureproof
Keep your options open. Once you’ve perfected the science, you’ll be ready to seriously ramp up your colony picking capabilities. PIXL Dark makes that easy, supporting seamless integration with a robotic arm for full round-the-clock walkaway automation.
Small Footprint
Maximise your bench space. PIXL has a small footprint enabling it to fit on standard laboratory benches or be operated within an anaerobic chamber with ease.
Create a colony picking workflow in minutes
1. Login
PIXL remembers the last used settings; stores templates and logs user actions and parameters.
2. Select the plate
Petri or PlusPlate. Pick from the whole plate or define sectors of interest.
3. Choose colonies
Filter selected colonies by size, colour, proximity, intensity, and shape.
4. Select the target plate
Select the number of replicates; on any density, in any pattern, agar, or liquid.
5. Pick colonies
Review your workflow, estimated time, and number of plates required, then press go and walk away.
6. Export data
Export your protocol, colony information, and parameters as a CSV file.
PIXL Dark Workflows
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
Image and detect your colonies of interest and export experimental data without running a workflow.
Zone of Inhibition Analysis
Automatically identify central colonies, measure their inhibition zones, and pick colonies of interest.
Re-array Colonies
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.
PIXL
Everyone’s favourite colony picker.
An ultra-reliable and super easy-to-use colony picker, capable of picking every colony as meticulously as you would.
PIXL Dark
For use with robotic arms and anaerobic chambers.
PIXL Dark comes with the added benefit of an automatic door, so it’s compatible with integration providers and also great for tight spaces.
ROTOR+ PIXL
The ultimate colony picking combo.
Combining ROTOR with PIXL lets you pick and re-plate at densities up to 6144 and at a rate of nearly a million colonies an hour.
PIXL Resources
PIXL Efficiency Report
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.
PIXL can use both liquid and agar source plates, and it can pin to liquid and agar target plates in any combination.
Get in touch
Book a 30-minute slot to discuss your workflow with one of our product experts,
or ask us anything. 1700+ happy microbiologists and counting.