UniVert
Uniaxial Mechanical Testing System
A benchtop mechanical testing system for tension, compression, and multi-axial testing of biomaterials and soft materials
- Versatile benchtop mechanical tester
- Uniaxial mechanical testing of soft materials, tissues, and engineered constructs
- Ultra-low to high-force sensitivity with interchangeable load cells
- Imaging-ready workflows coupled with hydrated and temperature-controlled testing
- Modular and custom upgrades with multi-axis options available
“The UniVert is a workhorse and so versatile that it enables us to obtain data quickly and in an expedient manner.”
David Mills, PhD in Anatomy & Cell Biology – Professor at Louisiana Tech University
UniVert Overview
Uniaxial Mechanical Testing System for Biomaterials and Soft Tissues
The UniVert series of test systems is optimized for biomaterials and tissues that require a low-force mechanical testing system with high sensitivity, unlike most conventional mechanical testers. Soft, hydrated, anisotropic, slippery, and irregularly shaped materials demand careful mounting, appropriate measurement sensitivity, and test workflows that can separate true specimen response from fixture artifacts.
From tensile and compression testing of biomaterials to multi-phase conditioning, time-dependent protocols, auxiliary axes, and strain-controlled mechanical testing using imaging-based workflows, the UniVert uniaxial mechanical testing system adapts to your specimens and methods rather than forcing you into a single test configuration.
What The UniVert Is Designed For
- Hydrogels, elastomers, scaffolds, and other compliant polymers
- Soft tissues including connective, vascular, pleural, nervous, and cartilaginous specimens
- ECM and decellularized matrices with non-uniform deformation
- 3D bioprinted structures and bioink-derived constructs
- Small orthopedic, dental, and biomedical components requiring controlled uniaxial or multi-axial loading
- Small, soft samples for general-purpose materials mechanics testing
When the UniVert is the Right Choice
- Low-force tension/compression where signal-to-noise matters
- Soft, hydrated, slippery specimens where grips and fixtures drive repeatability
- Cyclic conditioning and fatigue-style protocols on compliant materials
- Imaging-based strain measurement because crosshead displacement is not always an accurate representation of strain
Typical Experimental Environments
- Uniaxial tensile and compression testing across soft polymers and biomaterials, commonly using matched grips/platens and straightforward ramp protocols for hydrogels, elastomers, injectable biomaterials, and thin constructs.
- Cyclic conditioning and fatigue-style durability experiments (repeatable waveforms and multi-phase sequences) for material fatigue and durability studies, including soft robotics materials and wearable bioelectronics substrates.
- Hydrated and temperature-controlled testing in liquid baths (often PBS/media and physiologic temperature when needed) to maintain hydration and improve reproducibility for hydrogels, ECM-derived materials, and tissue-like constructs.
- Application-specific fixture workflows with imaging context including peel/adhesion and membrane or thin-film mechanics, plus time-dependent ramp-and-hold sequences for viscoelastic response (stress relaxation and related protocols when required).
UniVert Models and Core Specifications
The UniVert is available in two force-capacity models that share the same workflow, fixture ecosystem, and software interface. Both UniVert models measure ultra-low forces for delicate tissues and hydrogels (down to ~0.02 N with appropriate sensing), while the UniVert 1kN specifically supports higher-load benchtop protocols up to 1000 N.
UniVert S
The UniVert S is used as a medium- to low-force mechanical testing system when delicate specimens require high resolution and careful overload protection. UniVert S provides a compact and configurable uniaxial mechanical testing system with a setup that can be built around specimen compliance and testing method requirements. It is commonly used with soft tissues (i.e., cardiac, muscle, connective, pleural), gels (like hydrogels and elastomers), scaffold materials, thin films (or membranes), and compliant polymers.
UniVert 1kN
The UniVert 1kN has a higher load capacity compared to the UniVert S, while keeping the same fixtures, accessories, imaging options, and environmental configurations. It’s unique as a benchtop mechanical tester still capable of higher-load protocols. Common applications include engineered constructs, device-oriented studies (i.e., medical devices, bioelectronics, soft robotics), and stiffer materials (like adhesives, sealants, and thin metals) that push a low-capacity setup toward its limits.
| Specification | UniVert S (S2 Upgrade) | UniVert 1kN |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (cm) | 22 x 22 x 54 | 30 x 22 x 60 |
| Weight (kg) | 8 | 20 |
| Force Capacity (N) | 200 | 1000 |
| Load Cell / Force Sensor Range (N) | 0.02 – 200 | 0.02 – 1000 |
| Force Accuracy | 0.2% of load cell capacity | 0.2% of load cell capacity |
| Stroke (mm) | 300* | 300* |
| Max Velocity (mm/s) | 20 (100) | 20 |
| Max Acceleration (m/s²) | 1 (2) | 1 |
| Max Cycle Frequency (Hz) | 2 (10) | 2 |
| Max Data Rate (Hz) | 100 (500) | 100 |
- Custom stroke available
Mechanical Testing Capabilities
Each UniVert system supports core uniaxial methods out of the box, and it can be extended into specialized workflows by adding auxiliary axes upgrades, fixtures, and load cells (when needed). This lets you keep one platform while expanding the range of protocols you run.
Tensile Testing
With the UniVert: Controlled uniaxial tension using displacement or force control, including ramp, hold, and cyclic sequences.
For biomaterials: Soft specimens often fail or slip at attachment sites, so repeatability is usually won or lost at the grips. Selecting the right fixture and using imaging can help separate true specimen response from grip effects and other artifacts.
Example specimens: soft tissues, hydrogels, thin membranes, elastomers
- Related Research Applications:
- Hydrogel Mechanical Testing
- Tendon & Ligament Tissue Engineering
Compression Testing
With the UniVert: Parallel-plate compression protocols with optional holds for time-dependent response.
For biomaterials: Irregular geometries and non-heterogeneous mechanics are common, so the same displacement can represent very different local strains. Imaging context and platen selection can make deformation and failure easier to interpret.
Example specimens: hydrogels, cartilage plugs, porous scaffolds, compliant polymers
- Related Research Applications:
- Cartilage & Meniscus Mechanics
- ECM & Decellularized Matrix Mechanics
Ultra-Low Force Testing
With the UniVert: Low-force tensile, compression, and indentation workflows using the Eclipse Ultra-Low Force Sensor.
For biomaterials: Many biomaterials and biological tissues show small, treatment-driven changes that disappear in noise when force resolution is limited. Higher sensitivity reduces overload risk for fragile samples and improves confidence when you are comparing subtle mechanical differences across groups.
Example specimens: cell laden hydrogels, thin tissue sections, compliant membranes, micro-scale scaffolds
- Related Research Applications:
- Cell Laden Hydrogels
- Ophthalmic Biomechanics
Flexural and Bending Testing
With the UniVert: Three-point bending configurations for beam-like samples.
For biomaterials: Geometry and alignment sensitivity are common. Stable fixtures and image context support repeatable stiffness and failure metrics.
Example specimens: small bone structures, bioinspired beams, device-scale components
- Related Research Applications:
- Bone Tissue Engineering
- Dental & Oral Tissue Biomechanics
Peel Testing
With the UniVert: Interfacial mechanics and adhesion measurements using peel-style fixtures and controlled loading.
For biomaterials: Adhesion is often strongly influenced by humidity, temperature, and surface hydration. Stable fixturing plus hydrated mechanical testing and environmental control options helps improve comparability across conditions and materials.
Example specimens: adhesives, sealants, bonded membranes, soft laminates
- Related Research Applications:
- Adhesives & Sealants
- Membranes & Thin Films
Puncture Testing
With the UniVert: Localized penetration and membrane integrity testing using puncture fixtures with controlled displacement or force.
For biomaterials: Many biological barriers and thin biomaterials fail through localized damage. Puncture tests help quantify strength and failure behaviour when bulk tension or compression is not representative.
Example specimens: thin hydrogels, skin-like tissues, membranes, thin films
- Related Research Applications:
- Reproductive and Fetal Membrane Mechanics
- Skin & Wound Healing Biomechanics
Fatigue Testing
With the UniVert: Cyclic loading protocols for repeatable deformation under controlled waveform and amplitude settings. When configured for cycling, the UniVert functions as a cyclic mechanical testing system.
For biomaterials: Many tissues and implant materials experience repetitive in vivo loading. Fatigue protocols help quantify changes in stiffness, hysteresis, and failure risk over time, and they can be paired with preconditioning and recovery phases to reflect how specimens evolve during testing.
Example specimens: musculoskeletal tissues, elastomers, engineered constructs, soft implant materials
- Related Research Applications:
- Material Fatigue & Durability
- Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering
Viscoelastic & Time-Dependent Testing
With the UniVert: Protocols for hysteresis, rate sensitivity, and time-dependent response using controlled ramps and holds in tension or compression. This includes creep and stress-relaxation tests.
For biomaterials: Viscoelasticity can dominate hydrogel and tissue behaviour, so small differences in timing and environment can shift results. Consistent hold durations, stable conditions, and low-noise force measurement improve comparisons across formulations and treatments.
Example specimens: hydrogels, dermal tissue, engineered matrices, elastomers, intervertebral disc tissues, tendons and ligaments
- Related Research Applications:
- Polymers & Elastomers
- Skin & Wound Healing Biomechanics
Hydrated and Temperature Controlled Testing
With the UniVert: Hydrated mechanical testing workflows using temperature-controlled liquid bath configurations.
For biomaterials: Hydration state and temperature can shift measured stiffness, viscoelastic response, and failure behaviour. Tight control improves reproducibility and supports more physiologically relevant protocols.
Example specimens: soft tissues, hydrogels, ECM and decellularized matrices, engineered tissue constructs
- Related Research Applications:
- Vascular Tissue Engineering
- Hydrogel Mechanical Testing
Digital Image Correlation (DIC)
With the UniVert: Non-contact strain measurement and, when configured, strain field mapping for complex deformation using imaging-based workflows.
For biomaterials: Non-uniform strain, grip effects, and localized deformation are common, especially in soft or heterogeneous samples. DIC-based measurement reduces reliance on crosshead displacement and supports more defensible comparisons of true specimen strain.
Example specimens: soft tissues with heterogeneous strain, hydrogels with localized deformation, thin membranes, engineered constructs
- Related Research Applications:
- Mechanotransduction
- Soft Robotics Materials
Shear Testing
With the UniVert: Shear loading protocols when configured with an optional shear axis and compatible fixtures.
For biomaterials: Shear response can be more physiologically relevant than uniaxial loading for cartilage, tissue interfaces, and engineered constructs where sliding or shear deformation dominates.
Example specimens: cartilage and meniscus tissues, soft tissue interfaces, layered biomaterials
- Related Research Applications:
- Cartilage & Meniscus Mechanics
- Organ-On-A-Chip Systems
Torsion Testing
With the UniVert: Rotational or torque-driven protocols when configured with an optional torsion axis and axial loading.
For biomaterials: Many biological structures experience twisting loads in vivo. Torsion testing supports more realistic mechanical characterization where axial tests alone do not capture the dominant deformation mode.
Example specimens: bone-related specimens, musculoskeletal constructs, bioinspired composites
- Related Research Applications:
- Bone Tissue Engineering & Mechanics
- Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering & Mechanics
Pressure Testing
With the UniVert: Pressurization protocols for tubular or enclosed specimens when configured with an optional pressure axis.
For biomaterials: Tubular tissues and vascular biomaterials are often defined by compliance and failure behaviour under internal pressure. Pressure testing supports physiologically relevant loading and helps quantify structural integrity and treatment effects.
Example specimens: arteries, vascular grafts, tubular biomaterials, engineered vascular constructs
- Related Research Applications:
- Vascular Tissue Engineering & Mechanics
- Heart Valve Tissue Engineering & Mechanics
Selecting a Force Range & Configuration
The UniVert covers both ends of the force spectrum on the benchtop, reaching up to 1000 N while also supporting measurements down to approximately 0.02 N as a low-force uniaxial mechanical testing system. Pairing the appropriate force sensor with specimen-specific fixtures improves force resolution in soft samples and limits overload events that can compromise fragile tissues.
- When to choose UniVert S vs UniVert 1kN
- Practical guidance for selecting a configuration
UniVert Fixtures
The UniVert is configurable to suit your research needs through system upgrades and the addition of interchangeable fixtures and accessories. Standard configurations center on tensile and compression testing of biomaterials, with grips and platens matched to specimen geometry and compliance.
Fixtures for Tensile and Compression Testing of Biomaterials
- Standard with the UniVert:
- Tension grips matched to specimen compliance and geometry
- Compression platens for delicate and higher-load workflows
- Additional fixtures available:
- Specialty fixtures for bending, indentation, peel, and puncture workflows
- The UniVert Catalogue has a complete list of system configurations and available fixtures and accessories
Featured Accessories and Upgrades
Eclipse Ultra-Low Force Sensor
The Eclipse Ultra-Low Force Sensor is used for ultra-low force tensile, compression, and indentation testing on the UniVert platform.
- Key features:
- Ultra-low force tension, compression, and indentation workflows (down to 0.02N)
- Force resolution down to 40 µN with full-scale options in the milli-Newton range
- Overload protection rated to 10,000% of full scale
UniVert XY Stage
The UniVert XY Stage upgrade adds automated X-Y positioning to the UniVert platform for multi-location testing, automated testing on well plates, and spatially distributed measurements.
- Key features:
- Expands the single-axis system to X, Y, and Z positioning
- Supports spatial mapping and multi-site testing on heterogeneous specimens and well plates
- Repeatable positioning for routine test sequences
UniVert Upgrade Capabilities
S2 Performance Upgrade
Scientific Imaging System
Media Bath Upgrade
Multi-Axis Capable Upgrade
Sync Pulse Upgrade
Stroke Length Upgrade
Custom Fixtures and Experimental Setups
When specimen geometry or protocols are non-standard, CellScale can design custom fixtures, control approaches, or environmental accommodations to support defensible research outcomes.
Imaging: Strain-Controlled Mechanical Testing
For many biomaterials and tissues, actuator displacement is not a reliable proxy for true specimen deformation. The UniVert can be configured with upgraded imaging (improvement over the standard imaging system) to support strain-controlled mechanical testing by tracking features on the specimen and controlling deformation within a defined region.
- Real-time strain control from image tracking
- Integrated imaging for visualization and reporting
- Digital Image Correlation (DIC) for advanced strain measurement
Environmental Control: Hydrated Mechanical Testing
UniVert supports hydrated mechanical testing through optional temperature-controlled media bath configurations. These setups are compatible with tensile, compression, and time-dependent testing protocols.
- Temperature-controlled media baths (horizontal or vertical)
- Designed for multi-phase biological protocols
Software: Data Workflow and Data Analysis
CellScale’s built-in LabJoy software (included with lifetime licence) is designed around repeatable test templates, live feedback during acquisition, and outputs that are straightforward for post-processing data analysis.
Test control for multi-phase protocols
Configure displacement and force control, multi-step sequences, and cyclic workflows right in the included LabJoy software. UniVert is commonly used as a cyclic mechanical testing system for preconditioning and fatigue-oriented studies where repeatability across cycles is essential.
Data analysis and export
Export datasets into our Data Analysis software (also included with lifetime licence) for stress-strain analysis, viscoelastic metrics, and comparative studies across conditions. Imaging outputs can be used for documentation and, when configured, non-contact strain analysis.
Common UniVert Research Applications
- Tissue Engineering & Soft Tissue Biomechanics
- Biomaterials and Advanced Materials
- Mechanobiology and Bioelectronics
UniVert in Journal Publications
The UniVert has been referenced in hundreds of peer-reviewed studies across tissue engineering, mechanobiology, biomechanics, and biomaterials research. If you are matching a method, specimen, or environment requirement, published UniVert examples are especially useful when you need a defensible protocol for hydrated soft tissues, hydrogels, or time-dependent mechanics.
Comments From Real Researchers
“[The UniVert] is a workhorse and so versatile that it enables us to obtain data quickly and in an expedient manner… It is also intuitive to use.”
Dr. David Mills
PhD. Professor of Biological Sciences at Louisiana Tech University, USA.
“[The UniVert] measures really precise… we can already detect very little differences between the different treatments… This is the reason why we use it, to measure the stiffness of the cornea.”
Dr. Theo Seiler
MD, PhD. Founder of IROC eye clinic in Zurich, Switzerland.
“[The UniVert] enabled us to determine the mechanical properties of a soft biomaterial developed in our lab that could not be measured by other means.”
Dr. Kathryn Grandfield
PhD. Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Canada.
UniVert Videos
Short videos demonstrate setup, fixture changes, and real-world applications for the UniVert uniaxial mechanical testing system.
4:35
1:22
0:21
3:46
UniVert Mechanical Testing System Introduction and Demonstration
Introduction and demonstration of the UniVert mechanical testing system, highlighting versatile test modes, configurations, and software control.
UniVert Mechanical Testing System Visual Overview
Visual overview of the UniVert mechanical testing system and its configurable testing capabilities.
Tensile Fracture Testing of Engineered Hydrogels (MIT Zhao Lab)
Tensile fracture testing of engineered hydrogels comparing reinforced and notched samples.
Downloads
Download resources for the UniVert uniaxial mechanical testing system.
Related CellScale Mechanical Testers
MicroTester
BioTester
FAQs About the UniVert
What is the UniVert best suited for?
For mechanical characterization of biomaterials and natural and engineered soft materials. The UniVert is a uniaxial mechanical testing system for work where the “small stuff” matters: how you hold the sample, how clean the alignment is, and whether you can trust the low-force signal.
What tests can I run on the UniVert?
The UniVert supports:
– Tension and compression testing
– Bending / flexural testing (fixture dependent)
– Shear testing (fixture dependent)
– Torsion testing (fixture dependent)
– Pressure testing (fixture dependent)
– Creep and stress relaxation testing
– Cyclic loading for preconditioning and repeatability checks
– Puncture and peel testing (fixture dependent)
What is the force range of the UniVert?
From 0.02 N with the Eclipse Ultra Low Force Sensor accessory, up to 1000 N with the UniVert 1kN model. Choose based on your expected peak load and the low-force resolution you need.
How do I choose between UniVert S and UniVert 1kN?
Pick the UniVert S if you are mostly in soft-tissue or hydrogel territory and you want the best sensitivity at low loads. Pick the UniVert 1kN if your samples or fixtures drive the loads higher, or if you are testing stiffer materials and device-style assemblies. The workflow stays familiar, but the 1kN frame gives you more headroom.
Can the UniVert perform hydrated mechanical testing?
Yes. The UniVert can run tests in bath-style setups so samples can stay in PBS, saline, or other media. That is often the difference between a clean dataset and a curve that is drifting because the specimen is drying out.
Can the UniVert perform long-duration creep tests?
Yes. The UniVert can run long creep holds with continuous data logging. For repeat studies, keep hydration and temperature consistent between runs.
When should I use imaging-based strain measurement instead of crosshead displacement?
Use imaging when crosshead motion does not reflect what the gauge region is doing. That shows up with slip, grip compliance, or deformation that concentrates outside the gauge area. Use it with soft tissues where the strain you care about is in the center of the specimen, not at the grips.
When is UniVert not the best fit?
If you need planar biaxial protocols for soft tissue biomechanics, the BioTester is usually the better tool. If your specimens are micro-scale and your forces are down in the micro-Newton to milli-Newton range, the MicroTester is typically a better match than the benchtop uniaxial frame.
Talk to an Applications Specialist
If you share your specimen type, expected load range, and target outputs, we will recommend a UniVert configuration that matches your research goals and supports repeatable testing from day one.
