Enhanced Multichannel Verification System for Liquid Handling Quality Assurance

Artel has launched the new MVS Multichannel Verification System, an objective performance assessment and optimisation tool for automated liquid handlers. The MVS offers accuracy and precision information for any liquid handling device with up to 384-channels, allowing for confidence in assay data. Several recent enhancements make the MVS more flexible and easier to use, so laboratory technicians can boost quality control without impeding efficiency.

The MVS provides accuracy and precision data traceable to the International System of Units (SI) through reference
standards developed and maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in an easy-to-use system that rapidly and automatically documents the volume dispense performance of each channel of an automated liquid handler for aqueous or user defined solvents. Able to function within a volume range of 0.01 μL to 350 μL, the MVS can be fully integrated into existing automated quality control protocols and implemented by a technician of any skill level. Based on ratiometric photometry, the MVS measures the dispensed volume from any 1-, 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 12-, 16-, 24-, 96-, or 384-channel liquid delivery device in minutes.

With the MVS enhancements, the system can now provide volume measurements with an even higher degree of accuracy and precision. For devices utilising 384-well  plates, MVS precision and accuracy tolerances have been reduced to 0.8 -1.4% and + 2.5 - 3.5% respectively, depending on the volume range. For devices dispensing into 96-well plates, the precision and accuracy specifications have been tightened to 0.4 - 0.5% and + 2 - 3% respectively, depending on the volume range. With these new specifications, laboratories can decrease the uncertainty in their liquid handling operations for overall improvements in data quality.

In addition, the MVS can now be implemented in laboratory processes for 6-channel liquid handling devices and 4-channel liquid handlers facilitating performance assessment with greater ease and accuracy.