MEARACK — MEA / CHIP ADAPTER

Impedance on multi-electrode arrays,
without the cable mess.

Standard form-factor MEAs are a go-to for impedance measurements on cell cultures. The MEArack is the simple, proven solution — no awkward cabling, no manual channel switching, no homemade chip adapters. Plug into any Sciospec multiplexer or analyzer via SC98 and you’re good to go.

Custom chip and electrode geometries available on request — for research and industrial screening applications.

SC98 — plug & play

Connectivity

Small · low profile

Form Factor

Top & bottom windows

Optics

MUX · Analyzers · EPIX

Compatibility

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

A clean adapter between your MEAs and Sciospec impedance hardware

The MEArack replaces homemade chip adapters and ad-hoc cable harnesses with a small, low-profile adapter that connects industry-standard MEAs to Sciospec multiplexers and analyzers — and exposes the full any-to-any channel flexibility of the platform.

SC98 connectivity

PLUG & PLAY

Plugs straight into any Sciospec multiplexer or analyzer

With SC98 connectivity the MEArack just plugs into compatible Sciospec multiplexers, impedance analyzers and the EPIX platform — cable or direct insertion, both valid. No awkward cabling, no manual channel switching.

Sensor & chip layout

INDUSTRY-STANDARD

Fits a broad range of standard MEAs and biochips

The MEArack layout matches industry-standard MEAs and sensor / biochips from several manufacturers — many electrode geometries and materials to choose from, plus optional custom chip development for your application.

Microscope-ready

TOP & BOTTOM WINDOWS

Small form factor with optical access from both sides

Top and bottom windows allow simultaneous imaging on inverted or upright microscopes while impedance is being measured — perfect for cell-culture work, organ-on-chip studies and live-imaging experiments.

Technical Specifications

Core specifications for the MEArack adapter. Full datasheet available on request.

Parameter
Specification
Notes
ADAPTER
Connector
SC98
Cable or direct insertion
Form factor
Small · low profile
Fits standard lab setups
Optical access
Top & bottom windows
Inverted / upright microscopes
Custom chip option
Available
Application-specific geometries
COMPATIBILITY
Sciospec multiplexers
Yes
Any-to-any port assignments
Sciospec analyzers
ISX-3 · ISX-5 · CSX-64
Via SC98
EPIX platform
Yes
Industrial / OEM screening
EIT injection patterns
Supported
Combine with EIT option on analyzers
SENSORS & CHIPS
Supported sensors
Industry-standard MEAs
Several manufacturers
Electrode geometries
Many
Materials and layouts to choose from
Fluidic / temperature
Optional
Integrate with chip design
Supported methods
Polarity switching, potential scans
APPLICATIONS

Where the MEArack fits in

From routine cell-culture impedance and live-cell imaging studies to impedance mapping, EIT-style reconstructions on MEAs and industrial chip development — the MEArack gives your team a clean, reusable adapter into the Sciospec impedance ecosystem.

Cell-culture impedance

Run impedance measurements on adherent and suspension cell cultures using industry-standard MEAs, with stable, reproducible connectivity.

Live-cell imaging studies

Combine impedance with microscopy through top and bottom windows — image cells while you measure barrier function, growth or contractility.

Impedance mapping & EIT

Use any-to-any port assignments and EIT-style injection patterns to map impedance distributions across the array and reconstruct images on top.

Industrial chip development

Prototype and validate new sensor / biochip designs with custom electrode geometries — backed by a clear OEM integration path.

SC98 · INDUSTRY-STANDARD MEAS · CUSTOM CHIPS · MICROSCOPE-READY · MUX & ANALYZER COMPATIBLE · EIT-READY · OEM-READY

Configure your MEArack

Pick the adapter variant, connection style and chip family — then add custom-chip, fluidic, temperature and EIT options.

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OEM INTEGRATION

From an MEA adapter to your OEM impedance screening platform

The MEArack shares its core connectivity with the rest of the Sciospec impedance stack — multiplexers, analyzers and the EPIX platform — so the same architecture covers early prototyping and OEM screening products.

When you move from standard MEAs to a custom chip and from chip to product, we help migrate the impedance core into OEM hardware with tailored connectors, mechanics and software branding.

Prototype on standard MEAs

Start on industry-standard MEAs through the MEArack — no homemade adapters, no hand-wired cable harnesses.

Move to a custom chip

Lock in your assay and switch to a custom-designed chip with electrode geometries tailored to your application.

Integrate into an OEM screening platform

When the assay scales, we integrate the chip and impedance core into an OEM platform — front-end electronics, mechanics and software branding included.

Published reference

High-throughput cardiac safety screening on MEAs with Sciospec impedance

PROOF IN PRACTICE

From MEArack prototypes to industrial-scale impedance screening

The same Sciospec impedance core that drives MEArack prototyping powers high-throughput screening platforms — simultaneous impedance and field potential recordings at 1 ms, scalable from 96 to 576+ channels.

Challenge

Give cell-biology and pharma teams a clean, reproducible way to do impedance on standard MEAs — without homemade adapters and cable mess.

SCIOSPEC ROLE

A small, low-profile MEArack adapter with SC98 connectivity into the full Sciospec multiplexer, analyzer and EPIX stack — and a path to custom chips.

RESULT

Teams move from first proof-of-concept measurements to high-throughput screening and OEM platforms on the same impedance core.

USER VOICE

Sciospec applications team

[Specific user attribution needed]

Additional published work covers Organ-on-Chip TEER monitoring (Merck, Roche), modular EIT systems on Sciospec EIT16 and high-throughput cardiac safety screening — all on the same impedance core the MEArack plugs into.

Individual FAQ

Short technical answers to the questions we hear most often about the MEArack.

Which Sciospec hardware does the MEArack connect to?

Any Sciospec hardware with SC98 connectivity — multiplexers, impedance analyzers (ISX-3, ISX-5, CSX-64) and the EPIX platform. Cable or direct insertion both work.

Industry-standard MEAs and sensor / biochips from several manufacturers, plus many electrode geometries and materials. We can also design custom chip layouts tailored to your application.

Yes. The adapter has both top and bottom windows so you can combine impedance measurements with imaging on inverted or upright microscopes.

Yes. Combined with the EIT measurement option on our analyzers, you can use any-to-any port assignments to realise EIT-style injection patterns and do image reconstruction on top of MEA impedance data.

Yes — optional fluidic handling and temperature control can be integrated into the chip and adapter stack for organ-on-chip, barrier-function or perfusion studies.

Yes. The MEArack is a starting point — we routinely migrate the impedance core, chip design and software workflows into OEM screening platforms with tailored mechanics and branding.

How would you like to continue?

Choose the next step that fits where you are — from first conversation to running high-throughput impedance work on MEAs.

Tell us about your chip setup

Share the MEAs, analyzers and assays you work with — we’ll help scope the right MEArack configuration.

Configure your MEArack

Pick variant, connection, chip family and add-ons — custom chip, fluidics, temperature, EIT and training.

Working with ECIS arrays?

If your work centres on ECIS 8-well arrays rather than standard MEAs, the ECISadapter may be a better fit.

Get in touch with us

Headquarters

Sciospec Scientific Instruments GmbH Leipziger Str. 43b 04828 Bennewitz, Germany

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