The invention describes a laser sensor module (100) for particle density detection. The laser sensor module (100) comprising at least one first laser (110), at least one first detector (120) and at least one electrical driver (130). The first laser (110) is adapted to emit first laser light in reaction to signals provided by the at least one electrical driver (130). The at least one first detector (120) is adapted to detect a first self-mixing interference signal of an optical wave within a first laser cavity of the first laser (110). The first self-mixing interference signal is caused by first reflected laser light reentering the first laser cavity, the first reflected laser light being reflected by a particle receiving at least a part of the first laser light. The laser sensor module (100) is adapted to reduce multiple counts of the particle. The invention further describes a related method and computer program product.

The invention describes a laser sensor module (100) for particle size detection. The laser sensor module (100) comprises at least one first laser (110), at least one first detector (120), at least one electrical driver (130) and at least one evaluator (140). The first laser (110) is adapted to emit first laser light in reaction to signals provided by the at least one driver (130). The at least one first detector (120) is adapted to determine a first self -mixing interference signal (30) of an optical wave within a first laser cavity of the first laser (110). The first self-mixing interference signal (30) is caused by first reflected laser light reentering the first laser cavity, the first reflected laser light being reflected by a particle receiving at least a part of the first laser light. The evaluator (140) is adapted to determine a size of the particle by determining a first relative distance between the particle and the first laser (110) by means of the first self-mixing interference signal (30) and by determining a first amplitude information by means of the first self-mixing interference signal (30). The invention is further related to a corresponding method of determining a particle size.

A method and apparatus for sorting particles moving through a closed channel system of capillary size comprises a bubble valve for selectively generating a pressure pulse to separate a particle having a predetermined characteristic from a stream of particles. The particle sorting system may further include a buffer for absorbing the pressure pulse. The particle sorting system may include a plurality of closely coupled sorting modules which are combined to further increase the sorting rate. The particle sorting system may comprise a multi-stage sorting device for serially sorting streams of particles, in order to decrease the error rate.

A specimen processing system includes a plate for supporting a specimen system, wherein the specimen system includes a container and a specimen contained therein. The specimen processing system further includes a camera disposed above the plate and configured to generate images of the specimen system, a light source disposed beneath the plate for radiating light towards the plate, a light stop for blocking a portion of the light from reaching the specimen system to produce darkfield illumination of the specimen at the camera, and one or more processors electronically coupled to the camera and configured to track a position of the specimen within the specimen container during a specimen processing protocol based on the images.

A particle analysis apparatus includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of images each captured at a different time in each of which a particle moving in a predetermined direction in a medium is imaged; and a determination unit that determines, based on a movement amount of a particle due to Brownian motion in the medium, whether or not an image of a first particle included in an image captured at a first time of the plurality of images acquired by the acquisition unit and an image of a second particle included in an image captured at a second time which is different from the first time of the plurality of images acquired by the acquisition unit are images indicating the same particle.

A method and system for capturing images of a liquid sample during flow is disclosed. One approach to obtaining images of the sample which are in focus is to carry out a focusing algorithm in order to focus an imaging device on the sample once the sample has started flowing. However, this typically takes dozens of seconds or even minutes. There is provided a method of capturing images of a liquid sample flowing through a field of view of an imaging device that comprises stepping a focus mechanism of the imaging device through a plurality of focus values and capturing a plurality of images of the sample at each of the plurality of focus values as the sample flows through the field of view of the imaging device. In this way, image capture can proceed before a focus value has been determined and capture images that are in focus can be used for further processing subsequently.

The present set of embodiments relates to systems and methods for diagnosing a fluidics system and determining data processing settings for a flow cytometer. Systems and methods for diagnosing a fluidics system require accurate measurement and interpretation of fluctuations within the fluid delivery system. Systems and methods for determining data processing settings require an accurate measurement of peak times among various channels and being able to adjust time delay settings wherein peak time is the measurement of time elapsed from the beginning of the data collection time window to the highest peak in the window.

A system, method, and apparatus are provided for flow cytometry. In one example, the flow cytometry system includes dual laser devices and dual scatter channels to measure velocity of particles in a core stream of sample fluid. The total flow rate of the sample fluid and the sheath fluid around the sample fluid is controlled, and thus held constant, by a feedback control system controlling a vacuum pump based on differential pressure across ends of a flow channel in the flow cell.

A system, method, and apparatus are provided for flow cytometry. In one example, the flow cytometry system includes dual laser devices and dual scatter channels to measure velocity of particles in a core stream of sample fluid. The total flow rate of the sample fluid and the sheath fluid around the sample fluid is controlled, and thus held constant, by a feedback control system controlling a vacuum pump based on differential pressure across ends of a flow channel in the flow cell. A stepper flow control valves are disclosed that apply a physical fluid resistance to a flow of sheath fluid in the flow cytometer. The physical fluid resistance regulates a flow rate of the sheath fluid and thereby regulates a flow rate of sample fluid in the flow cytometer.

The apparati, methods, and computer program products disclosed herein can be used to nondestructively detect undissolved particles, such as glass flakes and/or protein aggregates, in a fluid in a vessel, such as, but not limited to, a fluid that contains a drug.