Is it possible to make a sub-$5k open-source cytometer that is functionally equivalent to a $100k commercial instrument?

Furthermore, is it possible to build a business selling such an open-source cytometer (as components, kits and fully assembled instruments)? No commercial organisation, no service contracts. The design needs to be minimalist and open-source to be accessible to the users, to install and configure for themselves, maintain and repair. Moreover, the business would rely on the community for the sharing of knowledge and design modifications for user applications.

It would also rely on an untapped resource – the cytometrists. In the past, cytometrists were the experts on building and modifying their hardware. However, this diminished greatly as automated fully-serviced commercial cytometers came to dominate the field. Cytkit would be a platform for the cytometrists to take back the field, to build and customise instruments for their users, enabled by open-source (including the optical model), minimalism of the basic design, community knowledge, and readily available components. So the cytometrists, instead of just charging their users by the hour for access to their instruments, could also provide a service to set-up and maintain open-source, custom instruments for their users.

I just came back from CYTO in Denver, Colorado, where I presented this concept, at David Novo’s Open Cytometry Hardware meeting and at my poster. I spent two days carrying the Cytkit prototype in a little flight case, showing it off to everyone who was curious to see it. People were excited, and now I’m now excited by their responses. Thanks to those who have already signed up on the website or told me privately that they will buy one.

So I hope the answers to the questions above are “yes”. I’m embarking on this business as an interesting experiment. I hope to start a pre-order campaign circa September, once the design is mature. Until then, look out for further posts about the development.

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