A metering head for a metering machine having a carrier having parallel attachments for picking up pipette tips wherein each attachment has a tube having a supporting protrusion at the bottom end at least one sleeve which surrounds the tube and can be axially shifted on the tube, and at least one elastomer O-ring which surrounds the tube a pressure plate above the sleeves having a plurality of first holes through which the tubes extend, wherein the pressure plate can be shifted along the tubes from a release position into a clamping position where the sleeves are pressed, at the bottom ends, against the adjacent O-rings, and the O-rings are expanded to clamp pipette tips; and a first shifting apparatus connected to the pressure plate moving the pressure plate between the release position and clamping position.

Provided herein are automated apparatus and methods for the identification of microorganisms in various samples. The disclosure solves existing challenges encountered in identifying and distinguishing various types of microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria in a timely, efficient, and automated manner by library preparation and sequencing.

A system for partitioning a liquid sample, the system including: an ejection device, the ejection device including an array of nozzles, wherein adjacent nozzles are separated by a constant distance in a first axis; and a microfluidics device including: a plurality of intake ports to receive a deposited droplet, wherein pairs of intake ports are separated by the same constant distance in the same first axis such that adjacent nozzles can simultaneously eject droplets to different intake ports.

A liquid handling system and method includes a liquid handling device with a plurality of pipetting heads and a tip box having a plurality of tips for removable attachment to the pipetting heads. A lever mechanism engages the liquid handling device and tip box during insertion of the pipetting heads into the tips to lesser the required insertion force.

A calibration device is disclosed. The device comprises an array of teaching pendants. The device comprises a translation actuator configured to translate the array of teaching pendants to a set of x and y positions, wherein the x and y positions are measured in a plane substantially parallel to a floor of an instrument deck. The device comprises a plurality of height actuators configured to move each of the teaching pendants in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane. One or more of the teaching pendants contact one or more teaching objects of an array of teaching objects above the instrument deck as a result of a position of the array of teaching pendants.

Provided herein are automated apparatus for the identification of microorganisms in various samples. The disclosure solves existing challenges encountered in identifying and distinguishing various types of microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria in a timely, efficient, and automated manner by sequencing.

Means and methods for dispensing small amounts of liquid from multi-channel microdispensing devices, suitable for use in automatic processing in biological assays and for the cultivation of cells and tissues, by means of optical control of the dosed liquid by specific light barrier units.

Provided herein are automated apparatus for the identification of microorganisms in various samples. The disclosure solves existing challenges encountered in identifying and distinguishing various types of microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria in a timely, efficient, and automated manner by sequencing.

A liquid handling instrument and pipetting head for and method of aspirating and/or dispensing liquids is disclosed. Namely, an automated liquid handling instrument is provided for aspirating and/or dispensing liquids from source media to destination media using at least one pipetting head and by using a positive displacement pipette tip, wherein the positive displacement pipette tip includes a pipette tip and a pipette plunger. A pipetting head of the liquid handling instrument includes an arrangement of plates, threaded rods, motors, timing (or drive) belts, and custom timing pulleys/nuts. The pipetting head further includes an arrangement of pipette plunger clamping mechanisms and pipette tip clamping mechanisms that feature zero-insertion force clamping mechanisms.

A multichannel pipetting plate comprises a plurality of connectors arranged in a lattice; wherein each connector is fluidically connectable to a pipetting tip; wherein each connector comprises an interface at which a friction contact between the connector and a foot of the pipetting tip is established; wherein the interfaces of the connectors are arranged in different planes, such that, at least at a border region of the pipetting plate, along each row and along each column of the lattice, at least three consecutive interfaces are arranged in at least two different planes.