Embedded Software for Scientific Instruments

On-device user interface for a spectrophotometer.

Overview

For manufacturers of advanced hardware, the on-device user interface is a critical component of the product’s success. It dictates usability, defines the user’s perception of quality, and can be a powerful competitive differentiator. We partnered with Thermo Fisher Scientific to redesign the embedded software for a laboratory-grade spectrophotometer. It showcases our expertise in creating modern, intuitive user interfaces that operate flawlessly within the strict constraints of on-device hardware, a core competency for any B2B hardware partner.

The Challenge

The instrument’s previous interface was analogue, relying on physical buttons and a basic digital display. This created a significant barrier to efficiency, as complex procedures required cumbersome, multi-step inputs. The challenge was to manage the critical transition from a physical, tactile control system to a modern, touchscreen-based software interface. The new digital experience had to be more powerful and efficient, yet intuitive enough for a user base accustomed to physical controls—all while working within the realities of a constrained hardware environment.

The Solution

Our solution was grounded in a deep understanding of the end-users and the technical environment. We conducted interviews with lab technicians, researchers, and product stakeholders to identify task friction, workflow inconsistencies, and critical gaps in the existing interface. This research directly informed a complete, user-centered redesign of the on-device software.

Purpose-Built Iconography for Lab Environments

To provide at-a-glance clarity, we created a tailored icon library optimized for the specific actions of a lab environment. Each icon was designed from the ground up to be visually distinct, high-contrast, and easy to interpret, eliminating ambiguity between similar functions. This custom approach reduces cognitive load, allowing technicians to focus on the procedure at hand and minimizing the potential for costly errors.

Streamlined On-Device Navigation

We restructured the application’s navigation from a feature-based model to support more efficient, task-oriented flows that mirror a technician’s real-world process. By prioritizing common lab procedures, the new design enables users to move logically and quickly between setup, calibration, and testing steps. This flatter architecture eliminates the frustration and potential for error associated with unnecessary taps and deeply nested menus, directly contributing to faster, more reliable sample processing.

Maximizing Data Visibility on a Constrained Display

In a lab environment, clear data presentation is non-negotiable, as misinterpretation can compromise an entire experiment. The new interface presents results with a distinct visual hierarchy, giving immediate prominence to critical measurements while maintaining easy, secondary access to raw data and reference markers. This prevents cognitive overload by showing technicians exactly what they need to see first. All visualizations were carefully enhanced with a color palette, scale, and typographic structure specifically chosen to maximize legibility and clarity on the compact, embedded display.

Guiding Complex Lab Workflows

To reduce ambiguity and prevent procedural drift, we introduced contextual UI states to guide users through each phase of a workflow. As a user progresses, the interface dynamically highlights the current step and disables irrelevant controls, such as changing sample parameters after a test has begun. This approach actively prevents mistakes and creates a clear, focused path for the technician. This in-app guidance ensures that lab protocols are followed correctly, improving procedural consistency, ensuring data integrity, and reducing the risk of human error.

Validation and Close Collaboration

Throughout the project, we partnered closely with Thermo Fisher’s internal teams to test early, interactive prototypes, a crucial step for identifying usability issues before development. Our usability testing sessions included both new lab technicians and seasoned researchers, providing a comprehensive view of the user experience. This dual-audience testing allowed us to validate specific efficiency improvements and ensure the final design was both easy to learn for novices and powerful enough for experts.

The Results

The redesigned spectrophotometer software successfully combined clarity and simplicity, creating a user-friendly interface tailored to a demanding lab environment. By optimizing the design for the embedded screen, we ensured that lab professionals could operate the instrument more efficiently, reducing errors and improving overall productivity.

Improved Usability and Efficiency

Task completion became faster and more consistent, even among less experienced users, thanks to clearer navigation, improved affordances, and reduced screen complexity.

A Modern and Extensible UI

The new interface introduced a consistent visual language, iconography, and set of interaction standards across the device, enabling faster onboarding and ensuring future firmware updates would be easier to implement.

Better Workflow Compliance

The clear, in-app guidance was designed to match standard lab protocol steps, reducing the risk of human error and improving adherence to institutional standards.

Increased Data Confidence

A clear and hierarchical presentation of results, including contextual markers and trend indicators, enabled faster data interpretation and supported better-informed decision-making in the lab.

Successful Technical Integration

The final design and implementation were verified across all hardware variants, touchscreen calibrations, and display densities, ensuring complete fidelity and functionality in real-world use.

Reduced User Support Load

After deployment, internal product owners and support staff noted fewer support tickets related to navigation and confusion around the instrument's usage.

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