Overview: 

The Hamilton easyBlood STARlet is a fully automated, walkaway blood fractionation workstation that separates whole blood directly from primary tubes into its three key fractions – plasma, buffy coat, and red blood cells. Built on Hamilton’s proven Microlab STARlet liquid handling platform, easyBlood STARlet combines high-resolution imaging, intelligent fraction detection software, and gentle CO-RE II pipetting technology to deliver reproducible, traceable sample preparation for biobanking, genomic research, clinical research, and infectious disease workflows such as COVID-19 sample processing.

Designed to eliminate the variability and errors associated with manual pipetting, the system automates the entire workflow – from barcode reading of primary tubes and image-based layer detection, to aliquoting into 2D-barcoded target tubes and sending full sample traceability data to the connected LIMS. Up to 144 primary samples can be processed in a single run, making the easyBlood STARlet an ideal solution for laboratories that need to standardize, scale, and safeguard precious blood sample preparation.

Features:

• Walkaway, automated separation of plasma, buffy coat, and red blood cell layers directly from primary blood collection tubes.
• High-resolution imaging channel and dedicated image-recognition software for precise, reproducible detection of each blood fraction with user-definable thresholds and detection limits.
• Processes up to 144 primary samples per run for high-throughput biobanking and clinical research workflows.
• Autoload function with integrated 1D/2D barcode scanning of primary and target tubes for full end-to-end sample traceability.
• CO-RE II pipetting technology enables gentle, precise, and contamination-free transfer of each fraction.
• Automatic loading of centrifuged, decapped samples across up to eight carriers simultaneously.
• Also pipettes plasma and serum from gel-plug blood collection tubes into user-defined destination containers.
• Automatically archives sample images and processing parameters and transfers them to the laboratory information system (LIS/LIMS) for audit-ready traceability.
• Complete, ready-to-run workstation including instrument, imaging system, software, carriers, tips, and accessories.
• Proven in biobanking, genomic research, clinical research, and infectious disease (including COVID-19) sample preparation applications.

Specifications

• Platform: Hamilton Microlab STARlet automated liquid handling workstation.
• Sample throughput: Up to 144 primary samples per run; up to 96 samples per imaging cycle.
• Primary tube compatibility: Round-bottom blood collection tubes from 11 mm to 16 mm in diameter.
• Pipetting technology: Hamilton CO-RE II independent channels with capacitive and pressure-based liquid-level detection.
• Imaging: High-resolution imaging channel with dedicated fraction-detection software and user-definable thresholds.
• Sample loading: Autoload module with 1D/2D barcode scanner; handles up to eight carriers of centrifuged, decapped tubes simultaneously.
• Output: Aliquoting into 2D-barcoded target tubes or user-defined labware.
• Software: Hamilton Venus control software with dedicated easyBlood method package; LIMS/LIS integration for bidirectional data exchange.
• Instrument dimensions (with Autoload): approx. 1124 mm (W) × 1006 mm (D) × 903 mm (H).
• Power supply: 100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz (universal).
• Applications: Biobanking, plasma/serum fractionation, buffy coat isolation, genomic and clinical research, infectious disease (COVID-19) sample preparation.