$50 PCR Machine
Intro: $50 PCR Machine
This project was taken out of a popular science magazine. I have not been able to make it yet, so I don't have the arduino code. It costs about $50 and takes about 5 hours.
STEP 1: Get Materials
You will need:
150-watt lightbulb and socket,
Computer fan,
Arduino Uno,
Thermistor,
Water,
Mineral oil,
2 5-volt relays,
110-volt AC power source,
Vial of DNA and reagents,
5 pieces of PVC:
4 to 3 inch adapter with 12 1/4 inch holes,
2 3 3/4 inch couplings,
2 4-inch wide pipes,
Vial.
STEP 2: Pile Up
TOP:
Drill 12 1/4 inch holes into the top of the slanted adapter, fit a pipe inside the adapter's base, and cut a hole in the exposed pipe to match the computer fan's exhaust port.
MIDDLE:
Cut the same hole for the fan in the top of a straight PVC coupling and hot-glue the fan in place. Drill a hole into the coupling's side, just above the center, and bolt on a clamped lightbulb socket.
BOTTOM:
Drill a hole in a second coupling for a bunch of wires leading to the Arduino.
STEP 3: Wire Up
Connect the socket and computer fan to 5-volt relays, and link them to the Arduino. Lead one socket wire to a 110-volt AC power source, and wire a thermistor to the Arduino. Insert the thermistor into a vial containing mineral oil and water, and put it in one of the 1/4 inch vial holes.
STEP 4: Pick a Gene
Pick a gene to copy. You'll need to order from the Internet reagents that can hijack DNA-copying molecules.
STEP 5: You're Done!
Congratulations you just made a PCR machine! For more information visit www.popsci.com/pcrmachine.
Comments
jsigismonti 9 years ago
Are you eventually going to post the actual making of the machine? I want to build it for a biology project but the tutorial doesnt give enough information to build it. Thanks!