The ECIS 9600™ is a high throughput (HTS), automated instrument designed to monitor cells grown in special arrays with a standard 96 well plate configuration and footprint. The consumable 96 well arrays (96W1E) are easily connected to the instrumentation using a single lever to make electrical contact. The instrument is capable of scanning all 96 wells in approximately 30 seconds.

Like the other ECIS instruments, the impedance of a small active electrode in each well is measured in real time to record cell activity and response to agents. In addition to noninvasive measurements, the ECIS 9600™ can also be programmed to apply elevated fields for cell migration measurements via an automated wound-healing assay [PNAS 101: 1554-1559 (2004)]. High fields can also be used at shorter duration to electroporate membrane-impermeable compounds into cells. All data acquisition and analysis is handled with user-friendly software running on Windows XP. Data can also be readily converted to text files for export to other data analysis systems.

In addition to cell migration assays, other biological applications include: signal transduction, cell invasion, cell integrin-ECM interactions and in vitro toxicology.