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ARTiMiS Device

Fixes for common issues with power, connecting to the app, preview, fluidics, storage, and how to report a problem.

Troubleshooting

Most issues fall into a few categories. Find yours below. If nothing here helps, use Report a problem to send diagnostics to support in one click.

Power and startup

The instrument won’t turn on.

  • Confirm the power supply is firmly connected to both the instrument and a working wall outlet.
  • Give it a full minute after pressing power — startup takes time and the app isn’t reachable until it finishes.
  • Make sure the vents are clear; a very hot instrument may slow down or protect itself.

It powered on but I can’t tell if it’s ready.

  • The instrument is ready when its status lights settle and the fan runs quietly.
  • Try opening the control app (below) — a page that loads is the surest sign it’s up.

Can’t open the control app

On the instrument (with the included display and keyboard):

  • Launch the app by double-clicking the ARTiMiS icon on the desktop. If nothing seems to happen, give the launcher window a moment — it briefly checks for updates before the app opens.
  • If the app closed unexpectedly, double-click the desktop icon again to relaunch it.
  • If the desktop itself isn’t visible, check the display: connect the HDMI cable before powering on, and confirm the display is on the right input.

From another computer, tablet, or phone — if the web address doesn’t load in your browser:

  • App running? The control app must be running on the instrument first — launch it from the desktop icon as above.
  • Same network: your computer, tablet, or phone must be on the same network as the instrument. A guest or work network can block this.
  • Give it time: wait a full minute after powering on, then reload.
  • Check the address: use the exact address on your quick-start sheet, in the form http://artimis-00042.local:8000 — the five digits are the middle of your serial number (serial AM1-00042-7 → artimis-00042), and the :8000 is required. The serial is on the sticker on the instrument’s back panel, between the USB/HDMI ports and the power connector.
  • Try the numeric address: if the .local name won’t resolve, use the network (IP) address if one is listed for your instrument.
  • Wired is most reliable: connecting the included Ethernet cable removes Wi-Fi as a variable for the first connection.
  • Refresh the browser: a hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R, or Cmd+Shift+R on a Mac) clears a stale page.

Note: If the app was working and suddenly shows Offline in the top bar, the browser lost its connection to the instrument. Confirm the instrument is still powered on and on the network, then reload the page.

The camera preview is black or frozen

  • Open Operate and make sure you’re on the Control tab.
  • On the very first frame after starting, the preview can look dark while the camera settles — wait a moment.
  • Adjust Focus and Brightness on the Control tab; a black image is often just under-lit or far out of focus.
  • Make sure a sample (or clear fluid) is actually loaded in the chamber — an empty, dry chamber can look blank.
  • If the preview stays frozen, reload the browser page to reconnect the live view.
  • Opening the app in several browser tabs at once can exhaust the live-preview connection. Close extra tabs and keep a single one open.

Fluidics and priming

If loading or circulating your sample doesn’t seem to work:

  • Use Load on the Fluidics card to draw the sample in, and Circulate to keep it moving. Watch the preview to confirm liquid and particles are flowing.
  • If nothing moves, check that the sample tubing and container are properly connected and that there’s enough sample to draw from.
  • Air bubbles can stall flow. Run Rinse, then Load again to prime the line.
  • Between samples, always Rinse and Eject before loading the next one, so results aren’t mixed.
  • The Fine Control section (expand it on the Fluidics card) lets you run the pump and valve directly if you need to clear a stubborn line.

Storage is full

  • ARTiMiS never blocks a run outright — if the usual location is full it falls back to another writable drive and shows a notice.
  • To make room, Export older samples to a USB drive or Upload them to your PhycoSight cloud organization, then remove the local copies.
  • Plug in a USB drive and point new runs at it using the Save path field.
  • See External Storage for full details.

Finding logs and reporting a problem

Report a problem

The fastest way to get help is the built-in reporter, which packages recent diagnostic logs and your (secret-free) settings and sends them to support for you:

  1. Click the Report a Problem button in the lower-right corner of the app (it’s also available on the Preferences page).
  2. Enter a short subject and describe what happened.
  3. Submit. If your instrument is connected to PhycoSight, the report is sent to support automatically.

If the instrument can’t reach the cloud, the reporter offers a Download report option instead — save that file and email it to support yourself.

Your report never includes passwords or access keys; those are removed before it’s sent.

What to include

A good report describes:

  • What you were trying to do.
  • What you expected to happen, and what happened instead.
  • Roughly when it happened, and whether it’s repeatable.

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