Halo Labs Horizon Particle Analyzer

The HORIZON system from Halo Labs employs Backgrounded Membrane Imaging (BMI) technology to measure and characterize subvisible particles in a high-throughput, low volume format. BMI has its roots in membrane microscopy – a USP lot release method that images particles on a membrane surface. The fully automated, fluidics-free HORIZON system utilizes disposable membrane plates and automated image processing to rapidly generate reliable and accurate particle counts and sizing. It can perform particle characterization in up to 96 samples in a single run using as little as 25 µL per sample. BMI is also insensitive to solution refractive index, enabling reliable measurement of translucent protein aggregates.

The HORIZON system uses sophisticated imageprocessing techniques to analyze images and acquire particle data. The key is to first take a background image of the membrane. After samples are filtered through by vacuum and the particles are captured, the same membrane is re-imaged with sample particles on the surface. The sample image is precisely aligned with the background image and then processed pixel by pixel so that the background texture is eliminated, and particles are viewed in high contrast. Backgrounding the image leads to high reproducibility and minimal interference from membrane texture and imperfections.