Ein mobiler Serviceroboter zur Automatisierung der Probenahme und des Probenmanagements in einem biotechnologischen Pilotlabor

Scherer T. A mobile service robot for automisation of sample taking and sample management in a biotechnological pilot laboratory. Bielefeld (Germany): Bielefeld University; 2004.In biotechnologischen Laboratorien ist die Qualität der typischerweise pharmazeutischen Produkte ein wortwörtlich lebenswichtiges Ziel. Die Qualität der Zellkultivierungen wurde historisch nur durch off-line Messungen von physikalischen Prozessparametern wie pH und pO2 sichergestellt. Biologische Parameter wie die Zelldichte und -viabilität wurden nur off-line gemessen, weil das dazu notwendige Probenmanagement hochkomplizierte Manipulationen und Analysen beinhaltet und deshalb nicht automatisiert werden konnte. Es gibt zwar mehrere automatisierte Geräte, um einem Labortechniker zu assistieren, aber kein System, welches das gesamte Probenmanagement automatisiert. In dieser Arbeit wird ein neuer Typ von Serviceroboter präsentiert, der aus einem auf einer mobilen Plattform montierten Roboterarm besteht und diese Lücke schließt. Dieser Roboter muss eine ganze Reihe von Problemen bewältigen: Er muss seine Position im Labor bestimmen können (Lokalisation), er muss eine kollisionsfreie Bahn zu den beteiligten Geräten finden können (Bahnplanung mit Hindernisvermeidung), er darf bei seinen Bewegungen keine Menschen gefährden oder Laborausrüstung beschädigen (Kollisionsvermeidung), er muss die zu bedienenden Geräte erkennen und ihre Position präzise messen können (Bildverarbeitung), er muss sie bedienen können (Armsteuerung), er muss Objekte greifen können (Greifer und Finger) und er muss sie gefügig handhaben können, um sie nicht zu beschädigen (Kraftregelung). Er muss autonom sein, um nur die allernotwendigste Menge an Benutzereingriffen zu benötigen, und doch durch ein Laborsteuerprogramm kontrollierbar sein, um Eingriffe zu erlauben. Schließlich muss er einfach durch ungeschultes Personal zu warten sein. All diese Aspekte werden von dem in dieser Arbeit präsentierten neuen Robotersystem abgedeckt.In biotechnolgical laboratories, the quality of the typically pharmaceutical product is a literally life-important goal. Historically, the quality of the cell cultivations was ensured by on-line measurements of physical process parameters like pH and pO2 only. Biological parameters like cell density and viability were only measured off-line, because the necessary sample management involves highly complicated manipulations and analyses and could therefore not be automated. Various automated devices to assist a laboratory technician do exist, but so far no system to automate the entire sample management. In this work a novel type of service robot consisting of a robot arm mounted on a mobile platform is presented that closes this gap. This robot has to master a multitude of problems: It must be able to locate its position in the laboratory (localisation), it must be able to find a collision-free path to the involved devices (path planning with obstacle avoidance), it must not endanger humans or damage laboratory equipment while moving (collision avoidance), it must be able to recognize the devices to be manipulated and measure their precise position (computer vision), it must be able to manipulate them (arm control), it must be able to grasp objects (gripper and fingers) and it must be able to handle them with compliance in order to not damage them (force control). It must be autonomous in order to only require the least possible amount of user intervention, and yet controllable by a laboratory control program in order to allow intervention. Finally, it must be easily maintainable by non-expert personell. All these aspects are covered by the novel robot system presented in this thesis

Fully Printed Electrolyte‐Gated Transistor Formed in a 3D Polymer Reservoir with Laser Printed Drain/Source Electrodes

In solution processed electronic devices it is crucial that the deposited inks are properly aligned and that all post-processing steps are compliant with each other. Moreover, shorter channel lengths are highly beneficial to increase the device performance. Herein, laser printing of metals and polymer reservoirs allows to print sub-micrometer sized channel lengths while confining functional inks into these small gaps. Therefore, a manufacturing concept and optimized material stack, suitable for combined inkjet and laser printing are proposed. A nanoparticulate indium oxide (In$_2$O$_3$) semiconductor is inkjet printed into and constrained by a 3D laser written polymer (pentaerythritol triacrylate, PETA) reservoir. Inside the 3D printed polymer reservoir, platinum (Pt) electrodes, that are further routed over the reservoir walls, are laser printed by a metal reduction process. The transistor fabrication is completed by a second inkjet printed layer of composite solid polymer electrolyte and an organic top-gate layer (PEDOT:PSS). This concept does not exceed annealing temperatures higher than 100°C, and is compatible with a range of substrates. The characterized electrolyte-gated field-effect transistor show a reasonable on/off-ratio in the range of 10$^4$ with negligible leakage currents. This materials and hybrid device manufacturing scheme has believed great potential for bioelectronics, lab-on-a-chip applications and others

Correlative Multiscale 3D Imaging of a Hierarchical Nanoporous Gold Catalyst by Electron, Ion and X-ray Nanotomography

Tomographic imaging of catalysts allows non‐invasive investigation of structural features and chemical properties by combining large fields of view, high spatial resolution, and the ability to probe multiple length scales. Three complementary nanotomography techniques, (i) electron tomography, (ii) focused ion beam—scanning electron microscopy, and (iii) synchrotron ptychographic X‐ray computed tomography, were applied to render the 3D structure of monolithic nanoporous gold doped with ceria, a catalytically active material with hierarchical porosity on the nm and μm scale. The resulting tomograms were used to directly measure volume fraction, surface area and pore size distribution, together with 3D pore network mapping. Each technique is critically assessed in terms of approximate spatial resolution, field of view, sample preparation and data processing requirements. Ptychographic X‐ray computed tomography produced 3D electron density maps with isotropic spatial resolution of 23 nm, the highest so far demonstrated for a catalyst material, and is highlighted as an emerging method with excellent potential in the field of catalysis