The disclosure relates to an incubation device and an automatic analysis device. The incubation device includes: an incubation unit (120) for incubating reaction containers (130) that contain a reactant or for buffering the cleaned and separated reaction containers (130), wherein the incubation unit (120) includes an incubation assembly (121) and an incubation driving assembly (122), the incubation driving assembly (122) is connected to the incubation assembly (121) so as to drive the incubation assembly (121) to move linearly along a third direction (30), and incubation positions (1211) for placing the reaction containers (130) are provided on the incubation assembly (121); and a transfer unit (110) for moving the reaction containers (130) into or out of the incubation unit (120), wherein the transfer unit (110) includes a pick-and-place assembly (112) and a pick-and-place driving assembly (111), the pick-and-place driving assembly (111) is connected to the pick-and-place assembly (112).

An automatic analyzer for analyzing samples comprising an immersion tube configured to retrieve a reagent stored in a reagent vessel and a lifting device configured to lift and lower the immersion tube. The lifting device comprises a guide rail on which the immersion tube is moveable between a lowered position, in which the immersion tube is immersed into the reagent vessel, and a lifted position, in which the immersion tube is retracted from the reagent vessel, and at least one biasing member configured to bias the immersion tube towards the lowered position with a predetermined biasing force. The analyzer further comprises a detector configured to detect an identity of the reagent, and a locking device configured to lock the immersion tube in the lifted position and so the immersion tube is moved towards the lowered position only if the reagent identity detected by the detector corresponds to a target identity.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for sequential operation of staining, imaging and sectioning of tissue samples by a processing system. After each layer of the sample is removed by the sectioning system, the system automatically stains the exposed surface of a sample to a depth to enable imaging of the remaining tissue. The system then repeats the sectioning, staining and imaging steps in sequence to image the sample.

Methods and apparatus that enable drying and curing a plurality of specimens carried by a plurality of microscope slides. Slide carriers are positioned at a first position while the slide carrier holds the microscope slides. Each of the specimens can be carried by one of the microscope slides. The slide carrier can be robotically moved to move the slide carrier into a circulation loop defined by a heater apparatus. The specimens and/or microscope slides can be convectively heated while the slide carrier is located in the circulation loop.

The invention relates to an apparatus for optically monitoring the dosing of a liquid to be pipetted for an automatic analysis unit. The apparatus comprises a dosing device, comprising a pipetting needle for pipetting the liquid, a lighting device for illuminating a drop of the liquid adhering to the pipetting needle, a camera with a set of optics to capture an image of the drop of the liquid, and an evaluation device for characterizing the drop of liquid by means of an automatic analysis of the image of the drop of liquid.

The invention relates to a piezoelectric micropipette, which comprises a capillary tube forming the pipette, and an expansion chamber connected to the capillary tube, the expansion chamber having a flexible element and being connected to a piezoelectric actuator. According to the invention the flexible element of the micropipette is arranged in the expansion chamber, and the flexible element is connected to a rigid displacing element, and a piezoelectric actuator is connected to the rigid displacing element.

Described herein are method of transferring liquid using a robotic liquid handler from a reagent reservoir having a sloped bottom along a length of the reagent reservoir, the sloped bottom defining a shallow end and a deep end of the reagent reservoir, wherein the shallow end is proximal to a first side-wall of the reagent reservoir, wherein the deep end is proximal to a second side-wall of the reagent reservoir opposite the first side-wall.

A microscope for examining a sample received in a sample carrier having a lid includes: a sample chamber for receiving the sample carrier; a microscope stage arranged below the sample chamber, the microscope stage being arranged to have the sample carrier arranged thereon; and a sample carrier handling device that is at least partially arranged within the sample chamber and that removes the lid from the sample carrier to provide access to the sample.

An interactive living entity automatic sampling system includes a structure supporting components including a first sensor, a second sensor, a robotic arm, a camera, and a touchless interface, wherein the structure and the components are adapted for use in a clean room. The first sensor is adapted to sense the interactive living entity in response to the interactive living entity being at a predetermined position relative to the structure for a predetermined time. The second sensor is adapted to sense an indicia associated with the interactive living entity. In response to the second sensor sensing the indicia, the sampling system initiates an operating cycle, or continues the previously initiated operating cycle, for collecting a sample from the interactive living entity. During the operating cycle, the touchless interface provides positioning instructions to the interactive living entity in combination with the robotic arm handling a partially enclosed container for collecting the sample from the interactive living entity.

A gripping device for handling sample containers is presented. The sample containers are closed by caps of a given cap type or are not closed by caps. The gripping device comprises a number of fingers configured to collectively cause gripping of a sample container, a tactile sensor device arranged at at least one of the fingers and configured to sample a longitudinal profile of the sample container and of the cap, if any, being gripped, and a control device coupled to the tactile sensor device. The control device determines if the sample container is closed by a cap or not closed by a cap based on the sampled longitudinal profile.