Alchema Research: Containerless Lab Automation

Alchema Research is AcoustoFab’s programmable acoustic levitation platform for contactless sample handling and containerless experimentation. It gives researchers a new way to work with droplets, fragile solids, particles, and sensitive materials without routing them through pipette tips, microplate walls, tubes, channels, or fixed fluidic pathways.

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Abstract digital wireframe design with curved lines in blue shades against a black background.
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Software-Defined Acoustic Levitation for Low-Volume Sample Handling

Using software-defined acoustic fields, Alchema Research can dispense, hold, move, merge, observe, and deposit samples in free space. This enables cleaner low-volume workflows, direct analytical access, and new experimental formats for laboratories working at the limits of conventional liquid handling.

For research teams, Alchema is not just a levitator. It is a programmable handling environment for matter.

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Designed for Researchers Exploring New Workflows

Many acoustic levitation experiments rely on custom rigs, manual loading, one-off electronics, and specialist acoustic expertise. Alchema Research is designed to make contactless manipulation accessible to professional R&D teams.

The platform combines acoustic hardware, control electronics, automated dispensing, workflow software, and scripting tools in a single benchtop system. Researchers can quickly evaluate containerless handling, build custom workflows, and integrate acoustic manipulation with analytical instruments.

    • low-volume droplet handling

    • fragile solid and particle manipulation

    • mid-air merging and mixing

    • 3-axis programmable sample control

    • droplet and solid deposition

    • real-time imaging and observation

    • integration with microscopy, spectroscopy, and other analytical tools

    • custom workflow scripting

    • proteomics and scarce-sample workflows

    • reaction studies

    • assay development

    • real-time analytics

    • 3D cell culture and organoid-adjacent research

    • formulation and crystallisation studies

    • advanced materials research

    • powder, particle, and fragile-solid handling

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Product Snapshot

Alchema Research is a compact, pre-calibrated acoustic levitation instrument for professional research, design, and development environments.

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Core Specifications

  • Droplet volume range: 200 nL–6 µL

  • Levitation region: 160 × 160 × 120 mm

  • Maximum sample density: up to 6 g/cm³, depending on conditions

  • Maximum object / droplet size: approximately 3.5 mm for spherical objects

  • Operating frequency: 40 kHz

  • Transducer array: 256 ultrasonic transducersOptional camera: 160 fps, 2.3 MP

  • System weight: 2.3 kg

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Core Specifications

  • Dimensions: 195 × 225 × 330 mm

  • Power supply: 24 V

  • Data connection: USB-C

  • Construction: CNC aluminium and stainless steel

  • Chemical compatibility: supplied with removable glass base cover

  • Operating environment: 4°C–40°C

  • Software: AcoustoFab SDK, Demo and Calibration Tool

  • Operating system: Windows 10/11 with NVIDIA CUDA GPU capability

Intended Use

Alchema Research is designed for professional evaluation and R&D use in research, design, and development facilities. Certification and application-specific validation may be required before use in regulated, clinical, production, or broader commercial environments.

What Alchema Research Does

A Software-Defined Handler for Physical Samples

Traditional laboratory automation moves liquids through hardware. Alchema Research manipulates samples directly. Using acoustic pressure fields, droplets and small objects can be held in mid-air and controlled through software. Instead of treating the pipette, plate, or channel as the primary unit of automation, Alchema treats the sample itself as the programmable object.

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    Dispense

    Collect droplets from a syringe tip or user-defined dispensing source into the acoustic working volume.

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    Hold

    Stabilise droplets or small solids in free space for observation, analysis, or workflow preparation.

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    Move

    Translate samples through programmable 3-axis trajectories.

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    Merge

    Bring droplets or solids together to initiate reactions, mixing, crystallisation, dissolution, coating, or formulation studies.

  • Logo of a microscope icon in brown color on a white background.

    Observe

    Maintain optical and analytical access for imaging, microscopy, spectroscopy, Raman, thermal, X-ray, or custom metrology workflows.

  • Download icon with a downward arrow inside a dashed rectangle.

    Deposit

    Place droplets or solids onto a target substrate, well, dish, vial, collector, or downstream instrument.

The Alchema Research Package

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A Pre-Calibrated Benchtop System for Containerless Experimentation

Alchema Research is delivered as an integrated research platform combining acoustic hardware, dispensing, control electronics, workflow software, and calibration tools.

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Core System Includes

  • Pre-Calibrated Transducer Array: One 256-transducer acoustic array operating at 40 kHz.

  • Control Board: Power conditioning circuitry, FPGA controller, and custom firmware for acoustic field control.

  • Integrated Enclosure and Cooling: Compact instrument body with flexible mounting compatibility for laboratory benches, breadboards, and extrusion-profile setups.

  • Reflector and Back Post: The acoustic stage used to define the levitation region.

  • Twin Automated Syringe Dispensing System: Automated dispensing system supplied with replacement syringes and tips, with compatibility for user-provided syringes and tips where appropriate.

  • AcoustoFab Workflow Designer: Software environment with standard procedures for droplet dispensing, solid levitation, droplet merging, droplet/solid merging, 3-axis movement control, and deposition.

  • SDK and Scripting Tools: Tools for custom workflow creation, automation, and integration with external software environments.

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Abstract digital artwork with black background and orange wavy lines forming a flowing pattern.

Optional Extensions and Collaboration

Alchema Research is designed for exploratory workflows, where application-specific requirements often matter. 

  • Optional extensions and collaboration routes include:

  • integrated high-speed camera

  • custom workflow modules

  • external instrument integration

  • imaging, microscopy, spectroscopy, Raman, or X-ray workflow support

  • custom dispensing or deposition hardware

  • environmental enclosure development

  • temperature, humidity, or atmosphere-control studies

  • early-access collaboration for tailored functionality

  • OEM or custom automation development

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Discuss an Integration Project
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Designed for Integration

Add a Containerless Processing Zone to Your Lab

Alchema Research can operate as a standalone research tool or as a contactless processing zone within a wider experimental workflow. 

The open-sided design allows researchers to position external components around the working volume, including cameras, microscopes, spectrometers, collection vessels, deposition targets, and custom metrology instruments.

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    Open Workflow Architecture

    Use standard procedures, workflow tools, scripting, and SDK access to build repeatable experimental routines

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    Analytical Access

    The open geometry allows direct observation and measurement of samples during handling.

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    Instrument Compatibility

    Integrate with imaging systems, spectroscopy platforms, microscopy setups, beamline environments, or custom laboratory instrumentation.

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    Reconfigurable Workflows

    Change the protocol in software rather than redesigning fluidic chips, mechanical fixtures, or robotic tooling.

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    Calibration Support

    Hardware modifications or external integrations may require calibration, which can be supported using AcoustoFab tools and engineering guidance.

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A digital illustration of a twisting, grid-like blue ribbon on a black background, creating a dynamic, abstract shape.
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A digitally rendered abstract design featuring a dark background with a flowing, curved blue wireframe structure.

Early Use Cases and Research Applications

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Research in Action

University of Liverpool: Containerless Formulation Science

Researchers at the University of Liverpool are using acoustic levitation to investigate formulation behaviour, crystallisation processes, and multi-phase material systems without the influence of vessel walls or substrates.

"Alchema Research allows us to achieve experimental complexity that was simply not possible before. Beyond the technology itself, AcoustoFab's team are exceptionally responsive and clearly invested in the success of our research. They are continually improving the platform, making sophisticated acoustic manipulation accessible through an intuitive user interface and enabling new classes of experiments for our laboratory."
— Dr. William Sharatt

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FAQs

  • Alchema Research is a programmable acoustic levitation instrument for contactless handling of low-volume droplets, fragile solids, particles, and research samples.

  • It is both. The acoustic hardware provides levitation and manipulation, while the software, workflows, dispensing system, SDK, and integration architecture turn it into a programmable research platform

  • TinyLev-style systems are valuable for accessible demonstrations and single-trap experiments. Alchema Research is a pre-calibrated, integrated platform with dispensing, workflow software, scripting, multi-axis control, and integration pathways for professional R&D workflows.

  • Pipetting robots move liquids through tips, wells, and containers. Alchema Research manipulates droplets and small objects in free space, reducing contact with labware during selected workflow steps.

  • Conventional acoustic droplet ejection typically transfers droplets from one surface-bound source to another destination. Alchema Research is designed for mid-air handling: hold, move, merge, observe, and deposit samples in a programmable acoustic volume.

  • Alchema Research is specified for droplets from approximately 200 nL to 6 µL, depending on sample properties and workflow configuration.

  • Potential samples include aqueous droplets, reagents, formulations, crystallising solutions, hydrogels, emulsions, small solids, fragile particles, powders, beads, and other materials within the system’s acoustic operating window.

  • Alchema Research can be suitable for biological sample workflows when operated under validated conditions. Published acoustic levitation research has demonstrated compatibility with proteins, biological droplets, artificial cells, and cell-laden materials, but each workflow should be tested for viability, stability, and analytical performance.

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Ready to Remove the Surface?

Move beyond pipettes, channels, wells, and containers.

Alchema Research delivers containerless lab automation, acoustic droplet manipulation, and software-defined sample handling in a single benchtop platform for professional R&D teams.

Whether you are exploring proteomics, crystallisation, formulation science, real-time analytics, powder handling, or advanced materials, Alchema gives you a new way to work with matter.

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Review key specifications and capabilities.

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Co-develop applications, integrations, or funded R&D.

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See Alchema Research in action.