FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about the Gilson Connect product line? Check out these frequently asked questions.

Gilson Connect and Your Science

The Concept

Gilson Connect is the platform that powers our cloud connected, Bluetooth®-enabled, smart instruments. These devices were created to ease the pain of data reporting, performance tracking, and ultimately make lab life easier for researchers at the bench. Our connected pipettes have built-in sensors that pair them to the PipettePilot® application, allowing them to interact in real-time to store data and methods. At the end of your protocol, the app generates a report that can be pushed to SciNote, a free open source electronic lab notebook (ELN).

Any researcher who wants to track pipetting data and improve their pipetting performance. With the connected pipettes, you gain access to apps that are designed to help you achieve better results, keep track of those results, and record your pipetting methods automatically. These devices were created to improve traceability and reproducibility at the bench.

Shop for TRACKMAN Connected and PIPETMAN M Connected products here.

Gilson apps Helping to progress Your Science

You can track your pipetting in real-time through the PipettePilot app. It allows you to create your own protocol and execute it using the connected pipettes. At the end of your protocol, a report summarizing all steps of the experiment will be available for you to export as a PDF and push to SciNote, a free open source electronic lab notebook. Additionally, PipettePilot makes is easier to run and store your protocols, helping with consistency and reliability, no matter who's using the products.

PipetteScope conveniently stores all data related to your pipette in one central place, accessible on your tablet or mobile phone. The app allows you to access data such as: the number of pipetting cycles you achieved, the pipetting modes you used, or how much time you spent on pipetting per day, week, month, or year. The app also helps you to be mindful of the service status of your pipette to ensure it’s performing at its best! You also have access to service data like calibration status, firmware updates, or service requests.

SciNote Electronic Lab Notebook

Your connected devices are compatible with SciNote, a top-rated electronic lab notebook (ELN) for researchers in academia or industry, which allows you to organize your projects, experiments, and tasks digitally. To improve reproducibility of experimental outcomes, PipettePilot reports can be directly sent to SciNote through a simple click. Additionally, if needed, your experiment reports will be stored within SciNote for you to access at a later time. With SciNote, it is easy to visualize your work progress by creating flexible workflows and obtaining a complete overview of your research at any point in time.

The Solution

How to Use

PIPETMAN® M Connected can be connected to a Bluetooth 4.1 smart-ready Android device.

Yes. Your pipette will work the same as a regular non-connected device. However, if the Bluetooth connection is off, you will not be able to track your pipetting data in the PipettePilot app.

For step by step directions on how to pair your connected pipette to our connected apps, please watch the below video.

Pairing a Pipette to PipettePilot® or PipetteScope®

Pairing your connected to pipette to PipettePilot and PipetteScope can be done in a few simple steps. Learn how by wathcing this video:

Watch Video

For directions on how to import a reagent list, watch the video below.

PipettePilot Makes it Easy to Upload Your Reagent List

Import your Excel CSV file to assign each item in your list to well locations. Learn how by watching this helpful video:

Watch Video

For directions on how to import and export plans and reports from SciNote, watch the video below.

Importing/Exporting a Plan and Report to or from SciNote

You can import or export plans and reports to and from SciNote with PipettePilot. Learn how by watching this video:

Watch Video

The horizontal and vertical liquid handling selection options allow you to choose the direction that PipettePilot guides you through your work.

For more information on how to configure this within your protocol, please watch the below video.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Liquid Handling Selection

During full plan creation in PipettePilot, you can select horitzontal or vertical liquid handling based on your needs. Learn how by watching this video:

Watch Video

For guidance on how PipettePilot’s undo and commenting features work, please refer to the below video.

How to Make Adjustments During a Run

At any point during a run, you may can to make an adjustment to your protocol. Learn how by watching this video:

Watch Video

For details on how PipettePilot supports mixing with the PIPETMAN M Connected, please refer to the below video.

How to Choose Mix Modes

You can choose from a variety of mix modes for your run when using PipettePilot. Learn how to set up mix modes by watching this video:

Watch Video

We support three main ways to create a protocol in PipettePilot:

  • Via the full plan editor
    • This is the most flexible way to create a plan—you draw exactly the steps you want in your protocol
  • Via the quick plan editor
    • Sometimes, you just have a couple of steps—or are looking for a fast way to start a bigger protocol. The quick plan lets you enter some basic parameters and then creates a 2-step protocol, presenting it to you in our full plan editor. You can then either proceed with this, or use the full plan editor to add more details.
  • By importing a CSV
    • When you have a large number of samples or a protocol that changes from run-to-run (like cherry picking or pooling), it may be easier to design the protocol in a spreadsheet. You can configure your liquid handling steps this way, and then save them as a CSV that can then be imported into PipettePilot.

For more information on how to create a protocol with the full plan and quick plan editors, please see the below video.

How to Create a Draw Plan and Quick Plan

There are two basic ways to create a plan with PipettePilot: draw your own plan or create a quick plan. Learn how to create a Quick Plan by watching this video:

Watch Video

For information about electronic pipette charging options and how to reset your pipette, refer to the following video.

Power Management Best Practices

Find out the recomended way to store, charge, and keep working when your PIPETMAN® M Connected has a low battery by watching this video:

Watch Video

All PIPETMAN M Connected family pipettes support an extended lower volume range when performing a multidispense. For more detail on this, refer to the PIPETMAN M Connected’s user’s manual.

To access the Pipetting Plans, reports and PDFs saved locally on your Android tablet, please click on the logo my files on the tablet > internal storage > Gilson > PipettePilot > Report or Pipetting plans or PDF reports.

If you are accessing your Android table storage from a computer, click on the name of your device on the computer > tablet > Gilson > PipettePilot > Report or Pipetting plans or PDF reports.

How to Troubleshoot

As a first step, reset your pipette by pressing and holding the push button of PIPETMAN M Connected to turn it off. Then, press the push button of the pipette to switch it back on. When initialization is complete, press the triangle shaped menu button. Press and hold this button for 2-3 seconds until the Bluetooth indicator lights flash and then release the button. Finally, you’ll need to refresh the connected page of the app by clicking on the refresh button.

How to Refresh Pipette Connection

If your pipette loses Bluetooth connectivity during a run, PipettePilot will display a notification that the connection has been lost. Watch the video to learn how to reconnect:

Watch Video

For a step-by-step guide on how to update the firmware in your pipette, please refer to the following video.

How to Update Your Pipette's Firmware

When it's time to update your pipette's firmware, PipetteScope will notify you. Learn more by watching this video:

Watch Video

1. Check to see if another application in the lab is connected to the pipette.

2. Consider turning the Bluetooth off and then on again

Pairing a Pipette to PipettePilot® or PipetteScope®

Pairing your connected to pipette to PipettePilot and PipetteScope can be done in a few simple steps. Learn how by wathcing this video:

Watch Video

3. If that doesn’t work, reset the pipette

How to Refresh Pipette Connection

If your pipette loses Bluetooth connectivity during a run, PipettePilot will display a notification that the connection has been lost. Watch the video to learn how to reconnect:

Watch Video

4. If you continue to have problems, please charge your pipette and check that you’re using the latest version of firmware

How to Update Your Pipette's Firmware

When it's time to update your pipette's firmware, PipetteScope will notify you. Learn more by watching this video:

Watch Video

PipettePilot will only offer valid choices for each pipetting step. If your pipette’s volume range is too big or too small, it will not be offered as a choice.

If your pipette is a valid range but still not showing up as a choice, then reset the pipette and reconnect to Bluetooth. For instructions on how to reset your pipette, refer to the following video:

Power Management Best Practices

Find out the recomended way to store, charge, and keep working when your PIPETMAN® M Connected has a low battery by watching this video:

Watch Video

We strive for PipetteScope to work with as many devices as possible. We have tested to ensure that the app will work with the following minimum settings.

PipetteScope requires the following versions of Android OS:

  • Phone: Jellybean 4.2
  • Tablet: Jellybean 4.2

PipetteScope also requires the following minimum version of Bluetooth Low Energy:

  • Phone: BLE v4.1
  • Tablet: BLE v4.1

Visit www.gilson.com/contactus to reach out to your local Gilson support.