In examples, a method of controlling customer access to an assay system comprises (a) receiving a system identifier; (b) identifying said system identifier; and (c) utilizing information obtained from the system identifier to perform one or more operations selected from: (i) enabling full access to said system and/or a consumable used in said system; (ii) enabling partial access to said system and/or a consumable used in said system; or (iii) denying access to said system and/or a consumable used in said system.

To provide a high-throughput automatic analysis apparatus at a lower cost. The automatic analysis apparatus includes an incubator which accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels; a specimen dispensing mechanism which dispenses a specimen into each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a mounting unit which mounts a dispensing tip on the specimen dispensing mechanism; a suction unit which sucks a specimen from a specimen vessel containing the specimen by means of the specimen dispensing mechanism having the dispensing mounted thereon; a discharging unit which is provided in the incubator and discharges the specimen from the specimen dispensing mechanism to the reaction vessel; a disposal unit which discards the dispensing tip; a sensor which detects whether the dispensing tip is mounted to the specimen dispensing mechanism; and a control unit which controls the specimen dispensing mechanism. The mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit are arranged along a movement path of the specimen dispensing mechanism. The sensor is arranged so as to be able to detect the dispensing tip at a position sandwiched between any two of the mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit.

The present disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for detecting, characterizing biomarker expression and morphological analysis in cell samples. The methods allow for the use of automated platforms to stain cells for molecular biomarkers and Romanowsky-type staining for cell morphology analysis. Cells that are prepared according to the disclosed methods can also be used in the diagnosis of certain conditions.

A fluidic device holder configured to orient a fluidic device. The device holder includes a support structure configured to receive a fluidic device. The support structure includes a base surface that faces in a direction along the Z-axis and is configured to have the fluidic device positioned thereon. The device holder also includes a plurality of reference surfaces facing in respective directions along an XY-plane. The device holder also includes an alignment assembly having an actuator and a movable locator arm that is operatively coupled to the actuator. The locator arm has an engagement end. The actuator moves the locator arm between retracted and biased positions to move the engagement end away from and toward the reference surfaces. The locator arm is configured to hold the fluidic device against the reference surfaces when the locator arm is in the biased position.

The technology described herein generally relates to systems for extracting polynucleotides from multiple samples, particularly from biological samples, and additionally to systems that subsequently amplify and detect the extracted polynucleotides. The technology more particularly relates to microfluidic systems that carry out PCR on multiple samples of nucleotides of interest within microfluidic channels, and detect those nucleotides. The technology still more particularly relates to automated devices for carrying out pipetting operations, particularly on samples in parallel, consistent with sample preparation and delivery of PCR-ready nucleotide extracts to a cartridge wherein PCR is run.

A testing system collects a specimen from a subject and measures the collected specimen to test the specimen, and includes a box to allow at least one of specimen collection for collecting and receiving the specimen, preprocessing for processing the collected specimen before measurement, or specimen measurement for measuring the preprocessed specimen to be performed therein.

Systems and methods for probe tip heating are disclosed. An exemplary system for probe tip heating can include an enclosure enclosing a probe tip, a heating device, and a fan. The probe tip can be configured to access an internal volume of a stoppered container and to aspirate or dispense a material from or to the internal volume of the stoppered container. The heating device can be configured to heat air circulating within the enclosure. The fan can be positioned to circulate air within the enclosure to heat the tip of the probe

The present disclosure relates to a medical diagnostic system. In various embodiments, the system includes a housing, a first receptacle in the housing for receiving a reagent container, a second receptacle in the housing for receiving a working fluid and waste container, where the second receptacle is larger than the first receptacle, two reagent access needles positioned and fixed within the first receptacle with each of the two reagent access needles being substantially horizontal to horizontally access the reagent container, and a working fluid access needle and a waste access needle positioned and fixed within the second receptacle with the working fluid access needle and the waste access needle being substantially horizontal to horizontally access the working fluid and waste container.

Provided is an automatic analyzer that reduces a risk of damage due to contact with a stirring paddle during maintenance and the like, and realizes miniaturization and simplification. A cleaning tank 181 configured to clean the stirring paddle, a standby position 182 configured to make the stirring paddle which is juxtaposed to the cleaning tank wait, and an inflow port 183 configured to flow cleaning water into the cleaning tank are provided, and the standby position 182 is arranged so that the cleaning water overflowing from the cleaning tank 181 overflows 194 to the standby position 182.

Disclosed is a fully-automatic chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer, which comprises a base, a reaction cup conveyance module, a robot-arm sample injection module, an incubation module, a manipulator and transit module, a magnetic-separation cleaning module, and a detection module are mutually independently integrated on the base. The reaction cup conveyance module is used for conveying a reaction cup to a pre-determined position; the manipulator and transit module carries the reaction cup into the incubation module, to incubate the reaction cup for a constant-temperature reaction; the reaction cup in the incubation module is carried to the magnetic-separation cleaning module for magnetic-adsorption cleaning; and the reaction cup after cleaning is carried by the manipulator and transit module to the detection module for detection. A plurality of manipulators and a plurality of transit devices may be disposed as required, to link the mutually independent functional parts of the modules. Further, the instrument may be equipped with detection modules and process modules of various detection platforms, which cooperate with the manipulator and transit module to realize diverse detection in a table-top production line manner.