CPX™: Automated Colony Picking for High-Throughput Microbial Screening

Synthetic biology and biopharmaceutical research often require thousands of colonies to be inspected, selected, and transferred according to specific experimental criteria. When performed manually, this process requires considerable time and skilled labor while introducing operator-dependent variability and selection bias, creating a major bottleneck in large-scale screening.

CPX™ transforms colony screening into an automated, traceable workflow by combining precision robotics, high-resolution imaging, ultrasonic sensing, and image analysis in a single platform. The system digitizes colony images, applies consistent selection criteria, and automatically transfers selected colonies for downstream culture and validation.

By improving throughput, reproducibility, and traceability, CPX™ enables researchers to screen larger experimental sets and move selected colonies through subsequent stages of research more efficiently. The system can operate as a standalone instrument or integrate with external laboratory systems, supporting applications ranging from individual research laboratories to automated biofoundries.

Key features:

1. Precision colony picking with motorized pin actuation

CPX™ uses 96 independently motorized pins to provide precise control over individual picking movements. Unlike conventional pneumatic systems, each pin can adjust its picking depth according to local variations in the agar surface. Ultrasonic sensing measures the agar height, helping maintain consistent contact across uneven plates. The system can process up to 4,000 colonies per hour while reducing variability associated with manual handling.

2. High-resolution imaging for small colony detection

With an imaging resolution of 100 pixels/mm, CPX™ can detect and analyze colonies as small as approximately 200 μm. This enables colonies to be selected at an earlier stage, before continued growth causes adjacent colonies to merge. Image-analysis algorithms evaluate colonies based on size, morphology, color, fluorescence intensity, and other user-defined parameters.

3. Automatic coordinate calibration for over 99% picking accuracy

Cross-laser-based automatic calibration aligns image coordinates with physical picking positions, ensuring that detected colony locations are accurately translated into robotic movements. Combined with ultrasonic agar-height measurement and surface-aware positioning, this coordinate-correction system reduces dependence on operator skill and maintains over 99% picking accuracy without routine manual calibration. 

4. Integration into automated laboratory workflows

CPX™ can operate independently or as part of a connected laboratory automation system. External systems can control its operation and exchange data with the instrument, allowing colony analysis, selection, and transfer to be incorporated into upstream and downstream processes. This flexible architecture supports scalable deployment in automated screening laboratories, biofoundries, and other high-throughput research environments.