Equipped with a digital camera, the RapidPick™ Harvester™ Colony Picker allows the researcher to manually identify sample locations across the microplate or omnitray, or to run any of a variety of imaging programs to automatically select qualified colonies or samples for picking. The Harvester then stores the image and selection coordinates for later picking, or can be directed to pick the selected samples right then. The extracted sample plugs are then transferred to a media-filled growth plate for outgrowth and testing. The Harvester is perfect for stem cell research.

The Harvester is also able to read the output files of cell imagers, like Brooks Automation’s Celligo™ , then go directly to the sample locations identified in their output files to extract individual plugs and transfer them to selected wells in a media-filled growth plate.

The Harvester’s ease-of-use is extraordinary. Users can learn how to operate it with only minutes of training. They can view selected picking locations of sample plates if they wish, and, with a simple point-and-click, delete or add locations at will. This can be done either at the system, or at their office computer.

Options include automated media filling, seal application/removal and incubation.

The RapidPick Harvester Colony Picker can be used for selecting fungal samples, identifying and sampling cellular clusters and for taking sample plugs out of gels. It also enables users to perform ordinary pipetting tasks, such as reformatting plates and transferring liquids among plates.