The Science Behind Naiad
Introducing the Naiad System
The Naiad System is one of Vitrotem’s flagship products. It simplifies the assembly of GLCs, eliminating the need for specialized sample holders and enabling transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging of whole biological cells and nanoparticles in liquid. This leads to more reliable and reproducible results, giving researchers unprecedented insights into dynamic processes and the workings of life.
The development of the Naiad System was a journey marked by numerous iterations and challenges. Early prototypes were created during the PhD of the company’s CTO, Pauline Van Deursen, which can be found in this link. Additional prototype systems were developed in collaboration with various engineering consultancies. Hardware and software design choices were continuously validated until the final version was achieved.
Overcoming Challenges
One of the most significant challenges faced during the development process was developing a consistent graphene transfer process protocol to provide a good customer experience. The team worked tirelessly to overcome this challenge, collaborating and iterating until a reliable and user-friendly product was achieved.
To ensure that the Naiad System meets the needs of TEM researchers, the Vitrotem team includes TEM researchers who serve as alpha customers. They worked closely with beta customers to ensure that their needs were met for a viable customer experience. The Naiad System moved into production after receiving positive feedback and some functionality requests.
The Benefits of the Naiad System
The Naiad System provides many benefits to researchers, such as effortless assembly of GLCs in minutes, high-quality graphene preparation for reliable and reproducible results, and TEM imaging of dynamic processes. Additionally, the system has wide-ranging applications across biology, materials science, and nanotechnology, making it an ideal tool for researchers across all fields. The user-friendly interface also enables effortless use for researchers of all levels.
Vitrotem is driving the progress of electron microscopy for life science research with products like the Naiad System. By simplifying the assembly of GLCs and enabling TEM imaging of biological material and processes in liquid, Vitrotem empowers researchers to gain unprecedented insights and make breakthroughs in the study of life.
