The Inspiration and Design Principles behind Luminescence 96: A Conversation with the Innovators

Why can't laboratory instruments be as sleek, intuitive, and user-friendly as the modern, pocket-sized gadgets we use daily? Inspired by this idea, our Byonoy team set out to reimagine the lab’s most essential workhorse: the microplate reader. Our mission: To challenge traditional industry standards by developing easy-to-use, compact, and affordable microplate readers, making advanced detection technology accessible to everyone. 

Building on the success of the Absorbance 96 microplate reader and the expertise gained during its development, our R&D team embarked on the ambitious challenge of redefining luminescence technology, another crucial detection method in laboratory research. However, the challenges with luminescence measurements are far more demanding than those for absorbance. On one hand, achieving much higher sensitivity is crucial to detect weak signals, which in luminescence assays might amount to only a few hundred photons.

On the other hand, another significant challenge lies in the wide variability of emitted signals between individual samples across the 96-well plate in a typical luminescence assay. While some samples produce just a few hundred photons, others emit one hundred million. Thus, a luminescence plate reader must be capable of measuring this wide range accurately, demanding what is known as a high dynamic range. 

For our team, the challenge was extraordinary: realizing a highly sophisticated detection technology within Byonoy’s signature ultra-compact design. But, as always, we love challenges and are committed to pushing the limits. What initially seemed like a herculean task— something never done before—our expert team transformed into a reality. But how did we get there? To uncover the story, we sat down with Yousef, our CEO and Head of R&D, and Sten, a key member of our R&D team involved in the luminescence project since its inception.

First Principles Design Thinking Meets User-Centric Approach 

“Microplate readers don’t need to be big,” explains Yousef. “But making plate readers compact isn’t about simply shrinking components; it’s about rethinking how they work.” Innovation at Byonoy isn’t about simply refining what exists — it’s about questioning assumptions and starting from the ground up. The development of Luminescence 96 exemplifies this philosophy, with the team applying first principles design thinking to break down challenges to their fundamentals.

“We asked ourselves, ‘What’s the best solution for every challenge, no matter how unconventional? ‘ recalls Yousef. This mindset shaped every decision, from initial design concepts to advanced features of Luminescence 96. 

In addition, it was essential for our team to get a deep understanding of how researchers interact with the reader, conduct experiments, and what technical performance requirements are needed to fulfill the needs of the researchers. To understand the needs of the researchers in the best possible way, we collaborated with Promega, the global leader in luminescence assay kits.

“The expert application team at Promega played a crucial role in rigorously testing the device across various performance metrics and providing feedback on how we can further optimize it to deliver the best output and experience to our users.” Shares Yousef. “Their insights not only validated the reader’s capabilities but also ensured it met the high standards essential for a wide variety of luminescence assays utilized by researchers.” 

Silicon Photomultipliers: The Heart of Innovation

Our team's first decision during the development process was to integrate a separate detection unit for every well of the 96-well plate. “We aimed to include 96 detection units to eliminate the need for the scanning mechanism found typically in conventional readers with fewer detection units. This scanning mechanism not only contributes to the larger size of traditional plate readers but also increases complexity, leads to a higher measurement time, and requires more maintenance”, explains Yousef. However, it was impossible to reach that goal with the traditional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) commonly used in conventional readers, as they are bulky and unsuitable for integrating 96 PMTs into a single compact reader. 

“This meant we had to explore other sensor technologies that could fit into a small form factor while still delivering performance comparable to PMTs,” Sten shares. Our team selected silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), detectors known for their high sensitivity, low power consumption, and compact size. “Although silicon photomultipliers have been increasingly used in other applications over the past decade, integrating them into a luminescence plate reader has never been done before and was a significant challenge for our team.”

To overcome this challenge, our expert team collaborated closely. After extensive testing and prototyping, we managed to integrate 96 individual SiPMs into an ultra-compact device. This marked the first step in validating our proof of concept for a compact luminescence plate reader. Achieving this meant our design could enable researchers to measure an entire microplate faster than conventional plate readers with less maintenance requirements. 

Unconventional Solution, Big Impact

Small-size detectors? Check! However, achieving accurate measurements and maintaining high performance on par with traditional luminescence readers in an ultra-compact device is no easy task — it is a challenge that demands unconventional solutions and bold innovation!

“For us, a high dark count rate emerged as the key hurdle when integrating those silicon photomultipliers, which initially compromised the device’s performance. But we refused to settle,” describes Sten. 

Our team focused on straightforward yet impactful innovative ideas before layering in complexity. “In search of an optimal solution, we faced many dead ends until we hit upon the idea of a shutter mechanism,” Sten recalls.  “It was a pivotal moment in enhancing the overall performance of the Luminescence 96—truly one of those ‘AHA!’ moments during its development.”

“We designed a checkerboard-patterned shutter to physically block any light exposure to those 96 integrated detectors. Controlling the shutter allowed us to measure the background signal separately and subtract it from the total signal, allowing more accurate detection of the true luminescent signal. This was significant, as this approach can also compensate for fluctuations like temperature drift”, Sten explains. “With its implementation, we dramatically reduced background noise and further improved the reader's sensitivity.”

In addition, the shutter also blocks light interfering from neighboring wells, minimizing crosstalk during luminescence measurements. This added another layer of measurement accuracy, ensuring researchers obtain reliable results. 

Not Kidding, 8 Decades of Dynamic Range 

The integration of the shutter mechanism not only enhanced signal accuracy and reliability but also paved the way for advanced features like micro integration. “By incorporating a micro-sized pinhole in the shutter design, the device effectively prevents saturation caused by high signal-intensity samples across the 96-well plate. We even achieved a higher dynamic range than expected – what a treat! “Sten explains with a big smile. 

To fully harness the potential of our detection technology, our team introduced three readout modes: photon counting, integration, and micro integration. Together, these modes expanded the device’s dynamic range to an impressive eight decades. “The Luminescence 96 dynamically switches between the three readout modes depending on the sample, offering unparalleled flexibility for applications ranging from low to high-intensity measurements,” Sten explains. This also eliminates the hassle of manually setting gain adjustments, enabling researchers to worry less about workflow parameters.

Developing the Luminescence 96 was a journey filled with challenges and excitement. Breaking traditional industry conventions, it represents a ground-breaking innovation in the luminescence plate reader, pioneering 96 individual silicon photomultipliers as detection units within an ultra-compact device. Additionally, it features high sensitivity, an impressive dynamic range, and minimized crosstalk, all while offering great usability for researchers. Luminescence 96 is another milestone that is truly a reflection of and testament to our mantra: „Less but better“.

Personal Luminescence Reader For Everyone

Advanced luminescence readers typically have a high price tag, making them out of reach for many labs. This means only core facilities or a handful of well-funded labs can afford them, limiting access and forcing researchers to rely on centralized facilities or share the device. And we all know the challenge here—the long waiting lists to book these instruments, causing delays and frustrations that can slow down research. 

Luminescence 96 has a significantly lower price than conventional luminescence plate readers. And the question that often baffles our users is how we made Luminescence 96 so affordable. “In democratizing advanced detection technologies, cost reduction is one of the key factors we prioritize in the development process for all our products,” Yousef assures.

Guided by the “keep it simple” principle and with a deep understanding of what researchers truly need for successful luminescence readout, our team focused on crucial features and avoided the pitfalls of overengineering the design. We also leveraged our established in-house production capabilities and expertise, which enabled us to utilize cutting-edge methods to produce some parts internally.  This kept the production costs low and ensured the device’s quality remained uncompromised. 

The Luminescence 96 represents more than just a product; it’s a milestone in our mission to reenvision laboratory technologies. For us, revolutionizing the Luminescence plate reader wasn’t about adding extra features—it was about focusing on what truly matters and improving it in every way possible!