OPEN-SOURCE PROGRAMMABLE PERISTALTIC PUMP
OpenFlowCtrl Peristaltic Pump
Introducing the OpenFlowCtrl, a cutting-edge peristaltic pump for physiology experiments – designed to give neuroscientists precise, reliable control over perfusion rate.
With its intuitive LCD interface and simple control knob, you can easily set dosing volumes, flow rates, and pumping direction, ensuring precise delivery for every experiment. The pump offers both continuous and dose-specific operation modes, allowing researchers to tailor it to their needs.
Besides its versatility and programmability, the OpenFlowCtrl Pump now also offers an upgrade option of an integrated Spill Detector. The Spill Detector comes with two sensors, which can be positioned near areas sensitive to spills. When a sensor is triggered, an alarm will sound, an optional notification text message or email will be sent to the user, and the pump will shut down. This unique feature offers additional peace of mind to end-users.
Thanks to its USB control interface, you can integrate the pump seamlessly with popular software platforms like MATLAB, LabVIEW, and Python, streamlining remote operation.
Accurate calibration is made simple, ensuring your pump delivers exact volumes with minimal error. Whether you’re dosing microliters or pumping continuously, this pump is your reliable partner in precision fluid handling. Calibration is done in the factory before shipping, but recalibration (if tubing diameter is changed) is not complicated, and can be performed easily by the end-user. The exact desired total volume(in “Dose” mode, in mL or uL) or continuous speed (in “Pump” mode, in mL/min or uL/min) can then be set.
This open-source peristaltic pump was originally developed by the IGEM in Aachen, and published on Github, and further improved by NeuroGig.
The NeuroGig-built OpenFlowCtrl features a 6-roller pump, instead of the published 3 rollers. We also offer 2 channels (inflow and outflow)
Specifications:
Number of channels: 2
Number of rollers: 6
Maximum flow rate: Depends on tubing used, but fast enough for quick flushing of system. For the majority of electrophysiology experiments, 4mm ID tubing is recommended. This offers a maximum flow rate of 100mL/min.
Minimum flow rate: With 4mm ID tubing (typical for electrophysiology experiments – other tubing diameters available), minimum flow rate is 2mL/min. This can be further reduced easily by reducing the internal diameter of the tubing (several graded options available)
Software control: via USD interface (MATLAB/LabView/Python/Arduino)
Below: Short video demonstration of the OpenFlowCtrl Peristaltic Pump