Microtec

Microtec to Introduce Industry-first Multi-purpose Surface State Analyzer “Bio-Reflectometer ‘BlueSky RM-8000’” to Japanese Market

Co-developed with AIST, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Japan - May 16, 2005 - Microtec Co., Ltd. (Microtec), the pioneering Chiba-based creator and developer of scientific instruments, today announces the launch of an industry-first Surface State Analyzer “Bio-Reflectometer ‘BlueSky RM-8000’” on the Japanese market.

The BlueSky RM-8000, co-developed by Microtec and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), measures film thickness, contact angle, and material adsorption with a single unit. Microtec will disclose its specifications and display a commercial production model for the first time at its exhibition booth (#East 41-32) at the 4th International Bio Expo Japan (May 18-21, 2005) in Tokyo.

This reflectometer is a multi-purpose surface-state analyzer co-developed by AIST and Microtec, utilizing AIST’s optical reflectometries technology patent under the supervision of Hideo Matsumura, a researcher in the Bio Photonics Group, Photonics Research Institutes at AIST.

Microtec sees potential market applications of the BlueSky RM-8000 in a variety of fields, ranging from base material development for biosensors, control of specific as well as nonspecific biological polymer adsorption phenomena, to chemical and film research.

Meguru Honda, President of Microtec, states, “While conventionally users would need to prepare specialized instruments for each measurement purpose, a single BlueSky RM-8000 unit can gauge film thickness, contact angle, and adsorption phenomenon. By emphasizing its superb cost effectiveness, we expect to satisfy a significant element of users’ needs.”

In addition to its non-contact film thickness gauge, the RM-8000’s ability to analyze adsorption process and measure contact angles will enhance the comprehensive evaluation of single molecule adsorption characteristics from multifarious perspectives, saving the user much time and effort.

Microtec will exhibit commercial production models of its BlueSky RM-8000 unit at its booth (East Hall #41-32) at the 4th International Bio Expo Japan (May 18-21, 2005) at Tokyo Big Sight.

Microtec to Introduce Handy Micro Homogenizer “Physcotron NS-320 Series” to market

Increased motor rotation speed affords enhanced user confidence for shredding time

Japan - May 16, 2005 - Microtec Co., Ltd. (Microtec), the pioneering Chiba-based creator and developer of scientific instruments, today announces the launch of its Handy Micro Homogenizer “Physcotron NS-320 Series”, a high-end lab-use homogenizer designed for the shredding and dispersion of biological samples, on the market. Microtec plans to introduce the NS-320 at the ACS Fall National Exposition 2005, August 29-31, 2005, in Washington D.C.

The launch of this new upgraded Physcotron series, part of the best-selling Microtec product lineup in Japan, is highlighted by a 16% increase in the motor rotation speed to 35,000 rpm, without compromising its high usability. With this upgrade, the Physcotron series now ensures users benefit from improved confidence and comfort in shredding a variety of organic or inorganic samples.

Furthermore, the NS-320 now features a flat-paneled plastic body for the controller, realizing reductions in both size and weight as well as improved water resistance. At the same time, the NS-320 maintains Microtec’s principle design concept of minimizing the use of plastic in the shaft components to enhance sterilization by hyperthermia or ultraviolet radiation.

Meguru Honda, President of Microtec, states, “With the increasing demand for solutions to homogenizing a large variety of small volume samples in bio-sample analysis, we used the technologies and know-how accumulated over the past several decades to develop the superior shredding performance demonstrated by the NS-320. We are confident that we will attract new users with our NS-320, as well as through our past achievements and experience with Physcotron users in Japan.”

Microtec has already launched and begun selling a mini Physcotron shaft “NS-3”, which can reach the bottom of a 1.5 ml micro-tube, thus enabling efficient shredding and dispersion of samples, and which has garnered an excellent reputation among users in Japan. The NS-3 is fully compatible with the NS-320.

Microtec will exhibit the NS-320 series at its booth (East Hall #41-32) at the 4th International Bio Expo Japan (May 18-21, 2005) at Tokyo Big Sight.

Microtec to Introduce Zeta Potential Analyzer with Image Analysis Software onto Global Market

First Unit Delivered to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), School of Physical Science, India

Japan - March 2, 2005 - Microtec Co., Ltd. (Microtec), the Chiba-based pioneering creator and developer of scientific instruments,today announces the international launch of Zeecom(R), the company's zeta potential analyzer, onto the global market. The first unit was delivered to the School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University (India) in February 2005.

With the increasing demand for solutions to measure zeta potential from a wide variety of fields, ranging from inks through electronics and waterworks to physical chemistry, and both locally in Japan and overseas, Microtec is now introducing Zeecom to potential users around the world and expanding the market with its competitive price, as well as its trademark feature of inherent reliability due to its structural integrity, which is based on its traditional measurement method.

Zeecom, which integrates the electrophoresis measurement method with a microscope and image analysis software, has long been a best-seller in its product lineup in Japan, and has been adopted by a number of major Japanese University laboratories, research institutes, and large corporations over the past decade. Now, for the first time, Zeecom has been upgraded for use in the English Windows environment for its launch onto the global market.

Professor Himadri B. Bohidar of the School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University in India states, “With its unique ability to display particle migration on a PC/TV monitor during each measurement, the user is assured that the data obtained from the measurement is of those specific particles that he/she has identified on the monitor on a real-time basis; it’s no longer just a statistic from a ‘black box’. What’s more, this function allows the user to monitor the state of the particles during each measurement, whether dispersed or aggregated, giving a far more comprehensive appreciation of the data obtained.”

With its competitive pricing, and its ability to display particle movements on the screen, Microtec expects Zeecom’s potential to be utilized in a wide range of applications in the basic fields of scientific research, as well as in educational sectors to aid the teaching of students around the globe.

Zeecom uses the attached microscope to capture the particle image, which is then digitalized by Microtec’s proprietary image analysis software. This Windows-based software can record the tracks of the particle movements to compute the zeta potential values, and show the distribution of the values as a histogram.

About Microtec Co., Ltd.

Established in 1989 from the Analysis Instrument R&D Section of NITI-ON CO., LTD., Microtec Co., Ltd. has created its own style of incorporating the needs of laboratory researchers, developing instruments to solve such laboratory needs, to become the R&D-oriented scientific instrument manufacturer it is today. Starting from the development and sales of its “Lumi-counter” ? a photon-counting instrument, Microtec has introduced onto the market a wide range of products such as its luminometer, zeta potential analyzer, homogenizer, frozen cell crasher, automated colony picker, tissue slicer, and Microtec’s proprietary electrochemiluminescence DNA chip reader.