Example microfluidic devices and methods for sensing and sorting of particles in a microfluidic channel are disclosed. An example microfluidic device includes a substrate with a microfluidic channel having an inlet, a first region, and a second region, the microfluidic channel being coupled with output channels. The example microfluidic device also includes one or more sensors located adjacent to the first region for sensing respective particles, and an inlet piezoelectric actuator located adjacent to the inlet and configured to facilitate input mixing of samples. The example microfluidic device further includes a first piezoelectric actuator located adjacent to the second region and configured to deflect the respective particles to respective output channels based on signals from the one or more sensors, and a set of one or more outlet piezoelectric actuators located adjacent to at least one of the output channels and configured to facilitate ejection of the respective particles.

An automated method for removing tissue samples from seeds includes holding a first seed by a seed grip assembly of a sampling module of an automated seed sampling assembly, and holding a second seed by the seed grip assembly of the sampling module. The method then includes removing tissue from the first seed by a first sampler of the sampling module at a first sampling location of the sampling module while removing residual seed tissue from a second sampling location of the sampling module, at about the same time the tissue is removed from the first seed at the first sampling location of the sampling module, and subsequently removing tissue from the second seed by a second sampler of the sampling module at a second sampling location of the sampling module while removing residual seed tissue of the first seed from the first sampling location.

An embodiment of the present invention reliably inserts a powder sample into a sample introduction unit of a particle size distribution measurement device while automating the insertion of the powder sample, and includes: a movement mechanism that moves a holding tube capable of holding a powder sample in a tip opening portion between a collection position at which the tip opening portion is inserted into the powder sample in a sample container to collect the powder sample and an insertion position at which the powder sample is inserted into a sample introduction unit; and an extrusion mechanism that extrudes the powder sample held in the tip opening portion to outside from the tip opening portion in a state where the holding tube is at the insertion position.

A powder blend segregation testing apparatus and methods for segregation testing of powder blends, requiring a small sample size, are presented for determination of segregation potential of powder blends under stressed dynamic conditions, offering an invaluable tool to the formulation scientists in the pharmaceutical, food, personal care industries, and any other industry which uses powders, to be able to determine, at formulation development stage, which of their powder blend formulations would resist segregation under stressed dynamic conditions of subsequent commercial scale manufacturing operations, thus meeting the goal of Quality by Design approach for manufacturing.