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Dr Elizabeth Ratcliffe BSc MSc PhD CBiol CSci FHEA
Senior Lecturer in Biological Engineering and Bioprocessing
Centre for Biological Engineering
Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Loughborough University
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 3TU
20th January 2023
Virtual Ultra-Violet / Visible Bio-spectrometer Simulation Test Report
- Objective
This document explains the various activities performed as part of the simulation testing of the virtual ultra-violet (UV) / visible bio- spectrometer application in which a Chartered Scientist with relevant experience to the intended market audience has performed end user simulation testing.
2. Application Overview
The UV/VIS bio-spectrometer is a common platform tool used with versatility across many industries and laboratories where fast wavelength scanning absorption / reflection measurements are performed in the ultraviolet and visible light wavelength spectrum, for applications including pharmaceutical, biochemical, and quality control.
3. Testing Scope
The simulation tests included reviewing the product experience and usability of the virtual UV/VIS spectrometer interface and its alignment to real-world applications and equipment. The types of spectrometry methods in scope for testing were:
· Absorbance methods at single wavelength, multi-wavelength and scanning, including a library of compound data for these methods.
· Calibration method
The types of spectrometry methods out of scope for testing were:
· Kinetics methods at basic and advanced levels.
· Routine methods including nucleic acids, protein and bacterial density.
Simulation testing was performed in a stage-wise process and the out-of-scope tests were in development phase at the time of testing.
4. Product Experience and Usability
The interface accurately represents the real-world user interface of UV/VIS spectrometer equipment. The user has research and training experience of a range of spectrometers with different capabilities and the main elements of the virtual interface are instantly recognisable as common to all spectrometers both in functionality and layout. The available buttons and the method selection panes reflect user expectations of the real equipment, this is particularly useful if the virtual interface were to be used for accessible training of new users prior to using the real equipment.
A first-time user of the interface may initially think of the machine image as an image only. It is logically placed with the logo of the software developer such that the interface could be tailored to the spectrometer company logo and specific spectrometer image. It was a highlight to find extra functionality here, particularly the change of image to show an actual cuvette in a spectrometer aperture, with the insert / remove buttons co-located. This together with the appearance / disappearance of the cuvette in the image with the user action of inserting / removing the cuvette are very nice features of the interface as it is highly familiar to experienced users and bridges a virtual-real world gap as it is also provides insight to the most common queries from new first time spectrometer users (what is a cuvette?, where does it go?, which way round?).
The simulation enables real-world functionality of what a blank measurement is and why it is used, the user is instructed to measure the blank both in the “how-to” videos and on the interface at the point of use via the informative and helpful pop-up at the “insert blank” button as well as the instruction on the measurement pane which is reflective of what would be shown on real equipment measurement panes for many spectrometers.
An excellent feature is the level of attention paid to the software development, a specific example of this being the option of using different cuvette materials (quartz, glass, plastic) for spectrometer measurements where different materials may be used for different compounds and applications, and this change being accurately reflected in the output measurements.
Single wavelength measurement is an essential entry-level function on the spectrometer and the library of compounds provided for absorbance measurements are appropriate and cover wide-ranging applications. Multi-wavelength measurements and more advanced scanning and calibration functions provide increased flexibility and incorporate increasing levels of experimental design. The designs used in these methods are very user friendly and applicable to further assays in development (such as nucleic acid purity and protein assays etc.). The scanning graphs show exemplar data for exploration by the user, a particularly useful feature being the ability to examine areas of the graph, whether peaks or specific data points, in magnified detail. The “how to” videos for scanning absorbance and calibration are particularly informative in concise visual tutorials, every aspect of the method and initial reviewing of the data has been thought about in the video for seamless transition to users having a go themselves. Having worked on several aspects of developing, delivering and assessing remote learning for laboratory skills development, the thought that has been put into the tutorials and method set up provide confidence in translational hands-on skills development. These two methods exceptionally highlight the user-friendly performance experience of the software that so closely relates to the real equipment and how an experienced user would run and train out an assay. Data is also presented equivalent to user expectations from the real equipment in an appropriate format for copy-paste to a spreadsheet or similar for further analysis.
The testing included not using the software for several days and returning to its use, upon return the software was easy to use and there was effective retention of essential information from the bitesize tutorial videos to be able to use the software for absorbance methods without return to “how-to” videos. The intuitive set-up of both the single and multi-wavelength measurement methods with parameter information clearly shown enabled easy return to the methods after first time use. Where scanning or calibration methodology was required, the “how-to” videos were a useful reminder of the protocol for embedding knowledge of the procedure and how to set up an experiment. The performance experience was very positive and would encourage users to design experiments within the software prior to transfer to a spectrometer. Taken together, the software has the capability of providing a powerful tool for independent spectrometry training as well as designing and planning for analysis of experiments off-line.
Simulation testing performed by
Dr Elizabeth Ratcliffe BSc MSc PhD CBiol CSci FHEA
Dr Ratcliffe - Biography
Dr Ratcliffe has worked in Biological Engineering research for health and wellbeing applications with experience in biological, clinical and engineering settings. A Senior Lecturer in Biological Engineering and Bioprocessing at Loughborough University, her awards include Chartered Scientist, Chartered Biologist, a Vice Chancellor’s Lectureship (awarded in open competition against 1650 candidates across all University Schools), and an EPSRC Impact Acceleration Enterprise Fellowship. Her research spans Regenerative Medicine, Gene Therapies, Antimicrobial Resistance and Inclusive Engineering, includes 4 PhD completions and funding for 2 mini-Centres for Doctoral Training. In teaching Dr Ratcliffe established the Bioengineering MEng/BEng programmes based at Loughborough’s £17M state-of-the-art STEMLab teaching facility and current initiatives in integrating virtual reality into technical skills training through the £6M DigiLabs project. https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/chemical/staff/elizabeth-ratcliffe/
Chartered Scientist
Chartered Biologist
Senior Lecturer (Bioengineering / Biological Engineering and Bioprocessing
Fellow Higher Education Academy