The present invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneous imaging and execution of contact-free directed hydrodynamic flow in a specimen with at least one light source, in particular a laser, adapted to dynamically heat the interior and/or a surface of the specimen, a microscope with an objective adapted to image at least a part of the specimen and to guide, in particular focus, a light beam of the light source, in particular a laser beam, into and/or onto the specimen to heat at least one specified location of the specimen, means for manipulating the specified location, and a sample chamber for the specimen that is accessible for imaging radiation and the light beam to allow simultaneous imaging and manipulation of the sample via the objective. Furthermore the present invention is directed to a method for simultaneous imaging and executing contact-free directed hydrodynamic flow in a specimen wherein, at least one light source, in particular a laser, dynamically heats the interior and/or a surface of the specimen via a light beam, in particular via a laser beam, the beam of the at least one light source is directed to the specimen through an objective of a microscope, the light beam is variably guided, in particular focused, to specified locations of the specimen inducing a hydrodynamic flow in the specimen, and imaging the specimen via the same objective as used for introduction of the light beam.

Embodiments disclose a device for testing biological specimen. The device includes a receiving mechanism to receive a carrier. The carrier includes a holding area that carries or has been exposed to the biological specimen. The device includes a camera module arranged to capture imagery of the holding area. The camera module includes an focusing motor operable to adjust a focal point of the camera. The device also includes a processor that is configured to utilize the camera module to determine, based on operations of the focusing motor, a volumetric property of the holding area and perform a set of analytic processes on at least a portion of the captured imagery of the holding area to determine one or more properties of the biological specimen.

Disclosed herein is a low cost and rapid microfluidic based method and test device for quantifying male fertility potential. The device can simultaneously measure three critical semen parameters rapidly, namely live sperm concentration, motile sperm concentration, and sperm motility. The device includes a transparent substrate and a top sheet with two holes therethrough and an intermediate sheet sandwiched between the substrate and the top sheet. The wells formed by holes form a concentration measuring well (C) and a motility well (M) formed by the top sheet with these two holes bonded to the intermediate sheet. A colorimetric agent is located on the top surface of the intermediate sheet at the bottom of each well which changes color when in contact with sperm. In the motility well a porous membrane is located on top of the colorimetric agent and a liquid buffer may be placed on the top surface of the porous membrane. Applying part of a sperm sample to the C well results in direct contact of any live sperm with the colorimetric agent causing a color change, applying part of the sperm sample to the M well results in live sperm with sufficient motility to swim vertically down through the liquid buffer and through the porous membrane to the colorimetric agent. Evaluating the intensities of the color change of the colorimetric agents before and after contact with the sample gives a measure of total concentration of live sperm and motile sperm from which sperm motility is calculated.

A fluorescence image analyzer, analyzing method, and pretreatment evaluation method capable of determining with high accuracy whether a sample is positive or negative are provided. A pretreatment part performs pretreatment including a step of labeling a target site with a fluorescent dye to prepare a sample. A fluorescence image analyzer measures and analyzes the sample. The fluorescent image analyzer includes light sources to irradiate light on the sample, imaging part to capture the fluorescent light given off from the sample irradiated by light, and processing part for processing the fluorescence image captured by the imaging part. The processing part extracts the bright spot of fluorescence generated from the fluorescent dye that labels the target site from the fluorescence image for each of a plurality of cells included in the sample, and generates information used for determining whether the sample is positive or negative based on the bright spots extracted for each of the plurality of cells.

A system for particulate detection and monitoring includes one or more light sources configured to emit light into a monitored space. The system includes at least two light sensing devices configured to receive scattered light. Respective sensing portions of the three two sensing devices share a common centerline axis. A processor is operatively connected to the two light sensing devices and is configured to evaluate the scattered light for presence of particulates in the monitored space.

There is provided a device (300;500;700) for collecting fluorescent light (322) emitted by particles (304) in a medium (302). The device (300;500;700) comprises a substrate (308) having a chamber (306) for holding the medium (302) including the particles (304) being capable of emitting fluorescent light (322). A first waveguide (310), which is is arranged to receive and guide excitation light along a first direction (313), extends through the chamber (306). Fluorescent light (322) emitted by the particles (304) following an excitation is collected by the first waveguide (310). The device (300;500;700) further comprises a coupler (316;516) which includes a second waveguide (317) arranged to output collected fluorescent light (326) at one of its ends (318). The second waveguide (317) is arranged in relation to the first waveguide (310) such that collected fluorescent light (324) travelling in a direction opposite to the first direction (312) is coupled out from the first waveguide (310) directly into the second waveguide (317).

Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for automatically identifying and recovering individual cells of interest from a sample of biological matter, e.g., a biological fluid. Also described are methods of enriching a cell type of interest. These systems, methods, and apparatus allow for coordinated performance of two or more of the following, e.g., all with the same device, thereby enabling high throughput: cell enrichment, cell identification, and individual cell recovery for further analysis (e.g., sequencing) of individual recovered cells.

In the various illustrative embodiments herein, test devices are described with opposing sensor arrays and same side contacts.

A direct current drive circuitry device can include a pull-up resistor to receive an input voltage and an electrical interface positioned in series and downstream from the pull-up resistor. The electrical interface can be electrically coupleable to a grounded microfluidic sensor to form a voltage divider circuit in combination with the pull-up resistor to generate an output voltage at the voltage divider circuit. The circuit can include an electrical switch to receive and charge cycle (discharging period and a charging period) the input voltage to the pull-up resistor of the voltage divider circuit. An analog-to-digital convertor can be electrically coupled to the voltage divider circuit (once completed) to measure the output voltage. A voltage buffer amplifier can be positioned between the voltage divider circuit and the analog-to-digital converter to prevent the analog-to-digital converter from loading the voltage divider circuit.

A microfluidic device can include an upstream passage, a sample passage, a bifurcating passage, and a combining passage. The upstream passage can be configured to provide a focusing stream. The sample passage can be configured to provide a sample stream. The bifurcating passage can include a specified bifurcating flow resistance. The combining passage can be configured to create a combined stream from the focusing stream and the sample stream, where the focusing stream can direct the sample stream away from the upstream passage and toward the bifurcating passage. A first portion of the combined stream can be discharged through the bifurcating passage. The main discharge can be configured to discharge a second portion of the combined stream. The main discharge can include a main discharge resistance that is selectable to vary the main discharge resistance relative to the bifurcating flow resistance.