MFX
How we brought design & engineering together to get a start-ups first product off the ground
Desktop appVisual identity & Brand

We’ve been working with MFX to design and develop the graphical user interfaces for their innovative bio-manufacturing equipment.
When the MFX team set out to host a booth at an international conference in early 2023, our attention shifted from delivering immediately implementable designs to how we might best showcase their vision for the future of cell and gene therapy to a room of intrigued stakeholders and potential partners.


MFX software screen

Enabling users to to interact with the interface as easily as possible

For several months, our focus had been on creating a user interface for MFX’s CellisiumTM manufacturing-focused platform: our researchers, designers and developers working iteratively to release increasingly capable GUI software in tandem with the hardware’s own development. Our main aim was to enable early users to control this cutting-edge equipment as easily as possible without bloating the interface with controls for future functions that had not yet been realised in the hardware prototypes.

Supporting MFX’s presence at this conference was a significant shift in focus away from functional realities and towards illustrating an ambitious future vision. With our developers engaged delivering against immediate deadlines, we needed to deliver a compelling, high-fidelity vision of the interface for ExploriumTM, their experiment-focused platform.

MFX cassette overview software screen

A lean and iterative approach to prototyping

No developers? No problem. The value we needed to deliver was in eliciting a positive response for conference attendees – in making them understand and believe in MFX’s ambitions. No hardware needed to be controlled. No connection to other devices necessary.

Starting with the UI kit and relevant interface components from our earlier work, we began to craft a self-contained experience that encompassed all of the key features slated for the future of ExploriumTM. Thanks to these building blocks, we swiftly created a series of screens that highlighted MFX’s innovative approaches to cell and gene therapy. We wanted demo users to experience a high-level overview alongside deep-dives into the data and analytics MFX aim to make available in pursuit of effective scientific outcomes.

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Upcoming interactions software screen

The right prototype, the right place, the right time

With this skeleton structure of the screens in place and particular details well-defined, we moved to make the prototype something that could be felt, not just seen.

We leveraged Figma’s increasingly extensive interactive prototyping tools to make this demonstration appear real to those in front of the screen. Demo users could navigate through the various reactor chambers, see reagent and sensor levels rise and fall, and see first hand how cells might change across the course of an experiment. Suddenly, what might be an intangible idea becomes a tangible possibility for those who get to experience it.

The power of cloud-based tools like Figma also means that this demo experience wasn’t just confined to the conference, but could be shared with potential partners and customers across the globe: the right prototype, in the right place, at the right time.

MFX Bioprocessing platform for cell and gene therapy image
System hardware overview software screen
Upcoming interactions software screen

Visual identity

We undertook the task of refining the logo to reflect their evolving brand identity. Preserving the emblem's rounded edges, we infused it with a contemporary flair, incorporating bolder text weight to mirror MicrofluidX's bold aspirations in the industry. By refining the lines, we emphasised the precision synonymous with their cutting-edge machinery. Updating the logo and colour scheme brought a fresh, modern aesthetic that aligns seamlessly with their innovative ethos. Notably, the stylised 'X' subtly suggests the intricate world of microfluidics, encapsulating MicrofluidX's pioneering approach. This revitalised visual identity serves as a visual testament to their commitment to excellence and forward-thinking innovation.

We’d love to discuss your idea or challenge. Please get in touch with Charlotte, our MD, to arrange a call.

Mettle Studio

T3 Somerset House
London
WC2R 1LA


To discuss new projects

Charlotte Heard contact photo
Managing Director

Charlotte Heard

charlotte@mettle-studio.com

For general enquires

Katy Jones contact photo

If you’re interested in working at Mettle, we’d love to hear from you, please email:

hello@mettle-studio.com

Press and media enquiries

press@mettle-studio.com


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