Patented LED Microplate Reader Technology

Our microplate reader designs use an array of multi-wavelength LEDs (light-emitting diodes) as the foundation light source. 

LEDs are compact and use low energy to produce the light used as a baseline for measuring the light absorbance of a microplate sample. 

LED readers are compact.

The patented and compact LED array allows the device housing to be much smaller than a typical microplate reader. Typical microplate readers use a broad-spectrum halogen and or a xenon flash tube either of which generates significant heat under normal use. This heat must be isolated from the reading chamber by heat shields, mechanical barriers, cooling fans, and physical distancing measures, all of which contribute to increased size and complexity, and cost to manufacture. Monochromatic LED arrays, in comparison,  use minimal energy to generate only the necessary specific test wavelengths, generating very little excess heat (wasted energy), and alleviating most cooling concerns that result in larger and more complex traditional readers.

LEDs solve heat dissipation and energy consumption issues

Typical microplate readers use broad-spectrum halogen or xenon flash tubes which require significant power and generate significant excess heat as a by-product. This heat is simply wasted energy, requiring larger internal power sources to maintain. LEDs, in comparison, are low-voltage components that allow the reader to operate on low voltage including portable battery operation in field locations.  Less energy is required because less energy is wasted in the form of heat.  LED-based microplate readers are an environmentally sound alternative to traditional microplate readers.