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YOU CAN BUILD A POCKET DNA LAB THAT RUNS FROM USB

PocketPCR by GaudiLabs is an open-source thermocycler — the machine labs use to copy DNA — that fits in your hand and runs off USB.

by GaudiLabs (Urs Gaudenz)

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

Scientific-instrumentsBiotech

Built with3D printing

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a weekend
license
GPL-3.0
repo
repo MATURE (STABLE, OLDER)199 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is the most 'I can actually finish this' project in our science lineup. A PCR thermocycler — the exact machine that copies DNA in real labs — shrunk to your palm and powered over USB. The build is genuinely a weekend: it's a well-documented board, not a research expedition. What's cool is what it unlocks: species ID, food authenticity tests, classroom biology. If you've ever wanted to do real molecular biology at home, this is the entry point.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —GPL-3.0; the repo has PCB files (KiCad and Gerbers), a BOM, parts files and firmware, while the description and specs are on the project website.
  • —Repo is stable but older (last update 2020) — mature, not abandoned; the design works as published

Parts to buy

5 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

BUILDS OF THE WEEK

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Can I build this?

Printenclosure — FDM
BuyPCB parts, resistive heater board, thermistor, cooling fan, USB power — full BOM in repo
Toolsfor the kit: screwdriver and basic tools (electronics come pre-assembled); for a scratch build from the repo: SMD soldering or a PCB assembly service, multimeter
Skillsbasic electronics ✓ · no biology needed to build it
Timea weekend
Costband $$ — current prices in repo BOM
SafetyThe heat block reaches up to 99 °C, so let it cool before touching it; use a USB supply that can deliver 2 A. Handle reagents according to their own safety rules.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

The Most Affordable PCR Ever, PCR Assembly - Gaudi Labs Pocket PCR (SyntheoGenesis)3:25

Creator has no build video — this is a real assembly of the official kit.

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Gallery

The complete PocketPCR deviceGaudiLabs
Open side showing the heat blockGaudiLabs
Top view with 0.2 ml tubes loadedGaudiLabs
In hand — palm-sizedGaudiLabs
Deployed in malaria research in BrazilGaudiLabs

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the repo + project page (understand the thermocycle)
  2. 2.Order the PCB + parts from the BOM
  3. 3.Solder the board
  4. 4.Flash firmware and run a test cycle

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The repo is from 2020 — mature and working, but check part availability against the BOM
  • Building the machine is easy; running real assays needs reagents and proper handling
  • No heated lid — overlay samples with mineral oil or they evaporate during cycling.
  • The creator has no build video; the clearest guide is a third-party assembly of the official kit.

Do I need to know biology?

To build it, no — it's an electronics project. To run assays, you'll need reagents and to follow basic lab safety.

Is a 2020 repo still safe to build?

Yes — it's stable, not abandoned. The design works as published; just verify current part availability.

What can I actually do with it?

Copy DNA for species ID, food authenticity testing, and classroom experiments. It's a real thermocycler, palm-sized.

Why does my sample evaporate?

PocketPCR has no heated lid, so you must overlay the sample with mineral oil to stop condensation and evaporation — this isn't obvious from the README but it's essential.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

A palm-sized USB thermocycler puts DNA copying on your desk. What would you actually run first — species ID, food authenticity checks, a classroom demo?

CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited

Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.

You can 3D print a microscope that sees individual atoms

●●●●○ · see atoms instead of copying DNA

You Can 3D Print Your Own MRI Scanner

●●●●● · a much bigger medical machine — read, don't build

GaudiLabs (Urs Gaudenz)

Open-science hardware lab making real lab instruments tiny and affordable. PocketPCR puts a full DNA thermocycler in your hand, fully open under GPL-3.0.

GitHub Web

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo