Team:Aachen/PolicyPractices/Economics

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'''Costs and operating expenses for companies producing technical laboratory equipment''' (annual report. (2013). Thermo Fisher Scientific)
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We follow a strategy to circumvent unnecessary costs for customers by realizing a '''social vision'''. In accordance with the principle of open source including both '''open hardware''' and open software, information where to get the necessary components, quantities, a step-by-step technical construction manual and circuit diagrams could be published online  for free. Potential customers can follow our given building instructions and download needed informations from our [https://2014.igem.org/Team:Aachen/Notebook/Engineering engineering website]. So our profit is not of financial nature but is instead based on recognition and on motivating other iGEM teams and companies to spread the idea of open hardware, too. In accordance with the motto do-it-yourself we offer '''low budget versions''' while '''reducing''' all '''potential costs''' exept for the basic costs where material costs are falling under it. Customers with a little technical skill, willingness to try something new and keen to experiments could follow our step-by-step building instructions and creat their own devices.  
We follow a strategy to circumvent unnecessary costs for customers by realizing a '''social vision'''. In accordance with the principle of open source including both '''open hardware''' and open software, information where to get the necessary components, quantities, a step-by-step technical construction manual and circuit diagrams could be published online  for free. Potential customers can follow our given building instructions and download needed informations from our [https://2014.igem.org/Team:Aachen/Notebook/Engineering engineering website]. So our profit is not of financial nature but is instead based on recognition and on motivating other iGEM teams and companies to spread the idea of open hardware, too. In accordance with the motto do-it-yourself we offer '''low budget versions''' while '''reducing''' all '''potential costs''' exept for the basic costs where material costs are falling under it. Customers with a little technical skill, willingness to try something new and keen to experiments could follow our step-by-step building instructions and creat their own devices.  

Revision as of 14:05, 17 October 2014

Aachen open access.png

Economical View

The economical considerations regarding our project were carried out according to the motto:

Make the world a better place - Open access for scientific progress

In the center of every economic analysis are the customers and their needs and desires. Every commercial company is interested to satisfy and deal with all customer needs for better sales figures, and in order to maintain regular clientele. Both measures aim for higher financial profits. On the global seller’s market of technical laboratory equipment there is a permanent competition between the existing providers. This competition depends on these financial profits: technical improvement followed by price wars. Besides, good price-performance ratios always catch customers and influence their purchase decision. Especially since globalization takes place products from the asian market which are often reasonably but for that they often have a lower quality.

Take a look at cost calculations for technical laboratory equipment including development, production, transport, warehousing and sale. Usually, you will find in this branche on one hand low costs for research and development, restruction, amorthilisation and other costs. On th other hand you will find really high costs of revenues and also selling, general and administartion expenses. At least financial profit is a big cost point cause buisinesses have to self-financing. In general, these factors are making technical equipment for labs really expensive and so one unattractive for low budgets. One off the world's biggest producer of laboratory products is Thermo Fisher Scientific. They also offer photometer and other equipment stuff. The following image shows all costs and operating expenses out off the annual report 2013 from Thermo Fisher Scientific.

TeamAachen DiagrammThermoScientific.png
'Costs and operating expenses for companies producing technical laboratory equipment' (annual report. (2013). Thermo Fisher Scientific)


We follow a strategy to circumvent unnecessary costs for customers by realizing a social vision. In accordance with the principle of open source including both open hardware and open software, information where to get the necessary components, quantities, a step-by-step technical construction manual and circuit diagrams could be published online for free. Potential customers can follow our given building instructions and download needed informations from our engineering website. So our profit is not of financial nature but is instead based on recognition and on motivating other iGEM teams and companies to spread the idea of open hardware, too. In accordance with the motto do-it-yourself we offer low budget versions while reducing all potential costs exept for the basic costs where material costs are falling under it. Customers with a little technical skill, willingness to try something new and keen to experiments could follow our step-by-step building instructions and creat their own devices.

To make our whole idea more user-friendly we thought over the offering of device kits. With this theoretical method customers don't have to order a lot of separate device parts from diffrent componies but still were not able of flexibility. Flexible with regard to potential new modifications of the devices including the choise of other building parts or a replenishment. Especially in natural science changes are lying under a daily agenda. New improvements are so direct assimili- and realizable in our concept devices.

At least we want to mention that our vision is limited in getting acceptance by companies on the global seller market and we know about this problem. These companies, parts of them global players, are profit orientated and following another firm strategy. Our vision is standing against this as non-profit-idea finding acceptance in other groups of customers with lower budgets and just open view of fiancial aspects.


WatsOn

The measurement device WatsOn for our 2D biosensor, too, has been designed accordingly. So far, no comparable devices could be found on the commercial market. Here, we definitely have a pioneer role. Following our do-it-yourself method everybody can create his own WatsOn for 310 $ using the given building instructions. Starting with the order of needed components followed by assembling the different parts. Components for rebuliding are easy availible all over the world using the folowing links.

All needed components, their quantities and prices for creating your own WatsOn

WatsOn 1€= $1.27 on 14/10/2014
Quantity Component Costs [€] Costs [$] Final [€] Final [$]
1 filter slides (medium yellow 010, sally green 505)1.572.001.572.00
1 arduino UNO R39.1711.659.1711.65
1 2-channel relay shield2.723.462.723.46
40jumper-wire cable2.352.992.352.99
1 40er male header (10-Piece Pack)2.142.722.142.72
1 40er female header (10-Piece Pack)2.052.602.052.60
1 circuit board2.352.992.352.99
1 HDMI cable1.471.871.471.87
1 7 port USB hub5.286.715.286.71
1USB WiFi stick4.215.354.215.35
1USB mouse and keyboard9.8412.509.8412.50
1 case acrylic glass XT 6mm~0.5239.8850.6539.8850.65
1spray paint for acrylic glass5.156.545.156.54
1 Raspberry Pi model B board27.5635.0027.5635.00
1Raspberry Pi camera module19.6925.0019.6925.00
17” display39.3549.9739.3549.97
18-segment display3.043.863.043.86
2 digital temperature sensor DHT-225.917.5011.8215.00
1 aluminum block 100x100x15 mm11.2014.2311.2014.23
1 Peltier heater 12V 60W3.544.493.544.49
1power supply25.9032.8925.9032.89
6 superflux LED 480 nm0.991.265.947.54
16LED 450 nm0.370.475.947.54
2 Resistor 40 Ohm0.120.150.240.30
4 Resistor 100 Ohm0.120.150.480.60
1cupboard button0.981.240.981.24
-total--243.88309.70

Such low prices with the acceptance of self-building opens a grand new customer market and offers competition to commercial saleable products. Especially in developing counties our WatsOn could help and its low rebuilding costs are making purchase possible. Such those low material costs and the high technical flexibility are making WatsOn to an adequate device for developing countries, community labs and the biohacker scene. In particular for developing countries such a low budget device version bids a good alternative to regular devices for detecting pathogens. With our device institutions in such those countries have an access to modern technology and working methods.

Aachen Team WatsOn 3.png
WatsOn's self-made concept makes it available for low budged institutions

Also for this device we are offering the building plan and also the needed software Measuraty for use. This makes it for institutions and also for amateurs possible to modify the device according to personal progress including for example the range of detectable micro-organisms. As an example it could be possible to detect not just the fluorescent of GFP and iLOV but also important reporter-proteins YFP, CFP or RFP. This would just be possible by changing the filter slides or LEDs.

However, please always remind yourself of the respective safety aspects when dealing with GMOs and human pathogens.

OD/F Device

One of our greater visions we share with the synthetic biology community is that everyone interested in biological work should have access to basic laboratory equipment. With our OD/F Device we are able to offer a low cost solution for community labs, biohackers and high schools.

Netdiagramm ODF Device.png
Advantages and Disadvantes of our OD/F device compared to commercial availiable devices

In general we have to make a difference between our OD and our F device. The reason for this is the bad comparability to commercial devices. These don't combine the measure of fluorescence and OD. With our OD/F we offer a solution to combine both measurement methods in one device. With our given instructions it is also possible to build two separate devices one for OD and one for F. In this context we offer the user a higher flexibility of choice during the user is also able to modify our device according to his own ideas and wishes.

Commercially obtainable spectrophotometers like UNICO S-1205, for example, costs 1.249 $ or more, and can measure optical density only. At the same time they are heavy, not portable and therefore not easy to handle. Specially the portability is beside the low costs a big poitive point which allows new rages of applications. But compared to our device it is able to work with a broader range of wavelengths and it has a higher accuracy and precision. Besides commercial plate reader are also available on the market, too. To compare our device with this comercial devices is really difficult because no portable devices like ours could be found which can also measure at a wave-band of 480 nm.

Comparable to our developed device in the points measuring range and portability is the OD-meter CO 8000. This device measures also the OD at 600 nm but still costs almost 920 $. Our OD/F Device can measure OD as well as fluorescence for less than 60 $ like the following chart is showing. Prices are given in $ and € for better accoutability and conversion.

All needed components their quantities and prices for creating your own OD/F device

OD/F device 1€= $1.27 on 14/10/2014
QuantityComponent Costs [€] Costs [$] Final [€] Final [$]
1Arduino UNO R39.1711.659.1711.65
1TSL 235R2.473.142.473.14
1Display 16x22.583.282.583.28
1LCD Display to I2C1.571.991.571.99
1Pushbutton2.903.692.903.69
1filter leaflet1.572.001.572.00
20jumper wire cables0.090.111.802.28
1small breadboard1.982.511.982.51
1power supply2.202.802.202.80
1cuvette holder (3D print service of your choice)6.448.186.448.18
13 mm acrylic glas (black)7.9810.147.9810.14
1Prototype Universal Printed Circuit Board2.272.882.272.88
1Male Headers2.142.722.142.72
1LED 600 nm0.991.110.871.11
Total OD 45.94 58.37
1LED 480 nm0.991.260.991.26
Total F 46.06 58.52
1LED 600nm0.991.110.871.11
1LED 480 nm0.991.260.991.26
Total OD/F 47.05 59.78

Cost saving lies here round about 850 $. Money that could definetly be given some better utilizations like into other projects. All you have to do is to order the needed parts from the list above, invest some time and have technnical skills to construct our OD/F Device. It's still this aspect which could also have simultanious a positive learning effect for people in schools and universities and so on. Therefore, we present a solution for low budget institutions like schools, universities, community labs and the biohacking scene.

Team Aachen OD F device.png
Possible application of our OD/F device

In our cooperation with the Kaiser-Karls-Gymnasium and with NEAnderLab one of our target groups gathered first experience using our OD/F device. As result we received the answer of our question if the device is useable in daily practice with teenagers. And we got a positive feedback for this. Even young people are able to use and understand our device without any security risk like mentioned on our safty page.