Provided is a method for producing a cell contained base, the method being capable of providing a cell contained base highly accurately controlled in number of nucleic acid molecules contained in a low-concentration nucleic acid standard sample, the method including a liquid droplet discharging step of discharging a cell suspension in the form of a liquid droplet with a liquid droplet discharging unit onto a base including at least one cell contained region; a cell number counting step of counting a number of cells contained in the liquid droplet with a plurality of sensors from two or more directions while the liquid droplet is flying into the cell contained region; and a liquid droplet landing step of landing the liquid droplet in the at least one cell contained region in a manner that a predetermined number of cells are located in the at least one cell contained region.

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.

A dispensing device that dispenses a liquid sample with a target weight x (in grams) includes: a pipette that discharges the liquid sample into a vessel; and a controller that controls the pipette. The controller performs: first liquid discharge processing in which the controller discharges the liquid sample with a volume of (x/ρ0×y) milliliters (mL) into the pipette, where y is a numeric value greater than 0 and smaller than 1, and ρ0 is the tentative density (in grams per mL) of the liquid sample; first weight acquisition processing in which the controller acquires information about the weight z (in grams) of the liquid sample discharged in first liquid discharge processing; density calculation processing in which the controller calculates the density p (in grams/mL) of the liquid sample according to the expression ρ=z/(x/ρ0×y); and second liquid discharge processing in which the controller discharges, into the pipette, the liquid sample with a volume based on the density ρ, weight z, and target weight x.

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.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a particle in a container filled with liquid, the method having the following steps: dispensing a liquid sample into the container, scanning a partial volume area of the container in order to detect a particle located in the liquid sample, characterized in that an upper limit and a lower limit of the partial volume area is determined in a calibration operation upstream of the dispensing process.

Devices and methods for the deposition of reagents onto cells or tissue samples are disclosed. Also disclosed are reagent compositions suitable for dispensing via a droplet-on-demand system.

An integrated fluid ejection and spectroscopic sensing system may include a fluid ejector to eject a droplet of fluid through an ejection orifice towards a deposition site, a sensor array, a dispersive element to project light onto the sensor array. The dispersive element, the sensor and the fluid ejector are joined as part of an integrated unit.

A quality control method for a diagnostic analyzer includes performing a quality control test or a plurality of specimen tests; determining, with a controller, that a result of the quality control test or a plurality of specimen test results is outside of a threshold; monitoring one or more mechanical devices of the diagnostic analyzer with the controller; receiving, by the controller, an error code indicating an error in a mechanical device of the one or more mechanical devices; and initiating a calibration procedure in response to the result of the quality control test or the plurality of specimen test results being outside of the threshold and receiving the error code. Other apparatus and methods are disclosed.

An apparatus for washing an array plate includes one or more dispensers and one or more aspirators that are distinct from the one or more dispensers. A respective dispenser of the one or more dispensers is configured to dispense a first liquid on the array plate, and a respective aspirator of the one or more aspirators is configured to aspirate liquid on the array plate. A method for washing particles is also disclosed.

Systems and methods are described for isolating a sample at a valve prior to introduction to an analysis system, such as sample analysis via ICP-MS. A system embodiment can include, but is not limited to, a valve system including a first valve in fluid communication with a sample reservoir and a second valve configured to permit and block access of a vacuum source to the first valve; a sensor system configured to detect presence or absence of a fluid at the first valve; and a controller configured to control operation of the second valve to block access of the vacuum source to the first valve upon detection of the fluid at the first valve to isolate the fluid within the sample reservoir.