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Our Company

For over 15 years PSI has been specializing in the design and manufacture of sophisticated, high-end instrumentation for research in biological sciences.

Our current product lines include:

  • chlorophyll fluorescence techniques
  • advanced imaging
  • wide range of compact, hand-held instrumentation
  • high-tech photobioreactors
  • growth chambers and algal incubators

Our products based on the latest techniques and components are used in scientific programs in many countries throughout the world. Everyday contacts with researchers are the base of our policy of continuous development.

COMPANY HISTORY

1992

  • Informal collaboration between Martin Trtilek and Ladislav Nedbal started, aimed on developing optical instruments for non-invasive monitoring of photosynthetic activities in plants.

1994

  • Photon Systems Instruments, Ltd. (PSI) was founded by Martin Trtilek and Ladislav Nedbal in Brno, Czech Republic to design and manufacture scientific instrumentation.

1995

  • As its first product, PSI developed the first FL100 version of the Double-Modulation Fluorometer (Trtílek M., Kramer D.M., Koblížek M. and Nedbal L. (1997) Dual-modulation LED kinetic fluorometer. J.Luminescence 72-74: 597-599).

1996

  • PSI was the first in the world to introduce a commercial instrument for kinetic imaging of plant chlorophyll fluorescence – the FluorCam (Nedbal L., Soukupová J., Kaftan D., Whitmarsh J. and Trtílek M. (2000) Kinetic imaging of chlorophyll fluorescence using modulated light. Photosynth.Res. 66: 3-12).

1997

  • PSI released the Data Logger and the first version of the OxyCorder used for measuring dissolved oxygen in algal and cyanobacterial suspensions.

1998

1999

2000

  • The Peltier cell based Thermoregulator was developed originally as an accessory for the Double-Modulation Fluorometer.

2001

  • To facilitate the rapid expansion of the product range, the company moved to a new seat in Brno.

2002

  • The Thermoluminescence system TL200/PMT was released extending the range of the PSI instrumentation beyond measuring prompt chlorophyll fluorescence emission.

2003

2004

2005

  • PSI released two more FluorCam models. The Arch FluorCam enables to generate three dimensional images of Chl-fluorescence emission and the Handy GFPCam is used for imaging of fluorescence protein emission.
  • Manufacture of a new product line - several versions of the powerful LED Light Panels – began.

2006

  • After an extensive development and testing, the new FluorCam 800F model was delivered providing a large working space with highly homogenous and powerful actinic and saturating irradiance.
  • The first high-precision Photobioreactors FMT 150 for cultivation of algae, cyanobacteria and photosynthetic bacteria were produced for applications in systems biology and precision biotechnology. The instrument features a unique combination of the cultivation vessel of sophisticated control capacity and powerful measuring and monitoring device.
  • The FluorPen and PlantPen, representing a new product line of pocket-sized instruments, were developed to enable rapid and inexpensive measurements of fluorescence and reflectance indices in the laboratory and field.

2007

  • The earlier instruments were substantially innovated to operate and share data over the internet: the On-line Photobioreactor and On-line Fluorometer FL5000 represent this line of instrumentation.
  • The line of Pocket-Sized Instruments was extended by the AquaPen, a highly sensitive version of the FluorPen to measure fluorescence of diluted phytoplankton samples.

2008

  • AOM, the Algal Online Monitor for flow-through monitoring of photosynthetically active microorganisms in natural waters was released.
  • New customized models of the FluorCam instrument were developed. The Rover serves large-scale scanning in field; the XY-Plane is optimized for high throughput screening and multispectral analysis.
  • The line of Pocket-Sized Instruments was extended by the N-Pen, measuring actual nitrogen content in plants, and the GFP-Pen serving rapid and accurate measurements of the Green Fluorescent Protein.

2009

  • PSI introduced a new product line of FytoScopes - growth chambers with well-defined culture conditions and with accommodated optional instruments for measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence.
  • The Photobioreactor FMT 150 was further extended by adding high-precision Gas Mixing System.
  • PSI has moved to a new R&D and manufacturing facility in Drasov.

2010

  • PSI started to focus its production on large cultivation and measuring systems, such as large-scale Photobioreactors (25L, 100L versions), walk-in growth chambers (Climabox FS 2700), or large XYZ imaging systems equipped with conveyor belts.
  • The line of Pocket-Sized Instruments was extended by the SpectraPen - handheld, programmable spectrophotometer.

2011

  • The existing Photobioreactor production line has been extended to a completely new product, Multi-Cultivator MC 1000 serving for controlled, small-scale cultivation of algae or cyanobacteria.