A system for coupling photometers to an incubation ring for use in in vitro diagnostics comprises one or more light sources, and an incubation ring assembly, and two photometers. An incubation ring assembly comprises an internal trough and an external trough. Each trough comprises (a) an internal wall comprising an internal aperture and (b) an external wall comprising an external aperture. A first photometer comprises: a first optics housing directing light from the light sources through the external aperture of the internal trough, and a first detector positioned to receive the light through the internal aperture of the internal trough. A second photometer comprises a second optics housing directing the light from the light sources through the internal aperture of the external trough, and a second detector positioned to receive the light through the external aperture of the external trough.

A method for evaluating the pH of an aqueous solution by utilizing the optical properties of a pH sensing material comprised of plurality of optically active nanoparticles dispersed in matrix material. The optically active nanoparticles have an electronic conductivity greater than about 10.sup.−1 S/cm and generally have an average nanoparticle diameter of less that about 500 nanometers, and the matrix material is a material which experiences a change in surface charge density over a pH range from 2.0 to 12.0 of at least 1%. The method comprises contacting the pH sensing material and the aqueous solution, illuminating the pH sensing material, and monitoring an optical signal generated through comparison of incident light and exiting light to determine the optical transmission, absorption, reflection, and/or scattering of the pH sensitive material. The optical signal of the pH sensitive material varies in response to the pH of the aqueous solution.

An integrated on-chip system and methods for real-time molecular sequencing. The system has a semiconductor chip and a laser. The semiconductor chip has integrated therein a main waveguide, a plurality of branch waveguides optically connected to the main waveguide, a plurality of nanochannels each having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a plurality of molecule traps, a molecule trap at an intersection of a branch waveguide and a nanochannel, and a plurality of photodetectors operably connected to the plurality of molecule traps, one photodetector for a molecule trap, the photodetector to detect a spectral signature from a molecule in the molecule trap. The laser is optically connected to the main waveguide.

An apparatus for obtaining information regarding a biological structure(s) can include, for example a light guiding arrangement which can include a fiber through which an electromagnetic radiation(s) can be propagated, where the electromagnetic radiation can be provided to or from the structure. An at least partially reflective arrangement can have multiple surfaces, where the reflecting arrangement can be situated with respect to the optical arrangement such that the surfaces thereof each can receive a(s) beam of the electromagnetic radiations instantaneously, and a receiving arrangement(s) which can be configured to receive the reflected radiation from the surfaces which include speckle patterns.

The disclosed technology includes a planar device for performing multiple biochemical assays at the same time, or nearly the same time. Each assay may include a biosample including a biochemical, enzyme, DNA, and/or any other biochemical or biological sample. Each assay may include one or more tags including dyes and/or other chemicals/reagents whose optical characteristics change based on chemical characteristics of the biological sample being tested. Each assay may be optically pumped to cause one or more of luminescence, phosphorescence, or fluorescence of the assay that may be detected by one or more optical detectors. For example, an assay may include two tags and a biosample. Each tag may be pumped by different wavelengths of light and may produce different wavelengths of light that is filtered and detected by one or more detectors. The pump wavelengths may be different from one another and different from the produced wavelengths.

In a reaction or growth monitoring system, the temperature of a reaction vessel is controlled using heat from a semiconductor sensor placed in direct or thermal contact with the reaction vessel. The heat from the semiconductor sensor is controlled by monitoring the temperature at the reaction vessel and by controlling accordingly, the operation of the sensor and/or by controlling a cooling mechanism in thermal contact with the semiconductor sensor. Additional heat may be provided to the reaction vessel via electromagnetic radiation from an electromagnetic illumination source.

An apparatus for obtaining information regarding a biological structure(s) can include, for example a light guiding arrangement which can include a fiber through which an electromagnetic radiation(s) can be propagated, where the electromagnetic radiation can be provided to or from the structure. An at least partially reflective arrangement can have multiple surfaces, where the reflecting arrangement can be situated with respect to the optical arrangement such that the surfaces thereof each can receive a(s) beam of the electromagnetic radiations instantaneously, and a receiving arrangement(s) which can be configured to receive the reflected radiation from the surfaces which include speckle patterns.

A biological sample analysis system including a sample preparation system forming droplets of segmented sample separated by a carrier fluid immiscible with the sample. The droplets include reaction mixtures for amplification of at least one target nucleic acid. A thermal cycling device having a sample block having a plurality of controlled thermal zones, and a containment structure in thermal communication with the plurality of controlled thermal zones. The containment structure receives and contains the droplets of segmented sample separated by the immiscible carrier fluid from the sample preparation system. A controller for controlling a temperature in each thermal zone of the sample block. A detection system detects electromagnetic radiation emitted from each of the droplets individually from the queue of droplets as they flow past the detection system. A positioning system to facilitate moving a queue of the droplets in the thermal cycling device relative to the detection system.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the absorbance of a substance in a solution, comprising at least one sample cell arranged to contain said solution that is at least partially transparent to light of a predefined wavelength spectrum, at least two light passages through said at least one sample cell, each of said light passages having a known path length, an LED light source arrangement comprising at least two LEDs, each arranged to emit a light output with a wavelength within said predefined wavelength spectrum, wherein a plurality of optical fibers, one for each light passage, is arranged at each LED for receiving said light output and guiding it to the light passages. The invention also relates to a method for measuring the absorbance of a substance in a solution.

A color imaging system and method, the method comprising, for a plurality of predetermined wavelength bands of illumination, calculating weight coefficients representing the contribution of each of the wavelength bands to a specific color space, individually controlling illumination intervals of each of a plurality of illumination sources, wherein each of the illumination sources is configured to provide illumination via a waveguide in a different predetermined narrow band of wavelengths, controlling an image sensor to capture a set of monochromatic image frames synchronously with the illumination intervals, receiving a set of the captured monochromatic image frames, and generating color image data by calculating a combination of the set of image frames, each weighted by the corresponding coefficient.