A cuvette for analysis of liquids, including a first cuvette portion and a second cuvette portion, which are joined together, with a cuvette cavity, an inlet passage and an outlet passage being formed between the first cuvette portion and the second cuvette portion, the inlet passage and the outlet passage both in communication with the cuvette cavity, wherein the outlet passage is provided therein with a labyrinth-like sealing structure, which prevents backfill of a gas that has been discharged from the outlet passage during filling of a liquid to be analyzed in the cuvette.

A method and automated apparatus for locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish and subjecting the obtained sample to a plurality of downstream tests including a test to identify the microorganism and a test to identify the susceptibility of the microorganism to antibiotics. The method includes the automated steps of locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish; obtaining a sample of the selected colony of microorganisms; preparing a suspension of a sample of microorganisms automatically by submerging the pick tool with the sample in a suspension, after which the pick tool is vibrated in at least the vertical direction to release the sample from the pick tool in the suspension. The turbidity of the suspension is monitored to ensure that the concentration of microorganism in suspension is sufficient so that the suspension is used a source for sample for both identification and antibiotic susceptibility of the microorganisms in the sample. The apparatus and system optionally provide for downstream processing of samples prepared for antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST). Such apparatus includes further processing after inoculation of an AST panel for the AST test. Such further processing includes capping and transferring inoculated panels to AST instrument.

A cuvette for analyzing a fluid includes an interior space for receiving the fluid. The interior space includes an analysis section for analyzing the fluid. The analysis section extends over two opposite sides of the cuvette. The cuvette also includes a first opening for filling the cuvette, the fluid can be introduced into the interior space via the first opening, and the analysis section has a first analysis path for analyzing the fluid and a second analysis path for analyzing the fluid. The first analysis path is shorter than the second analysis path such that differently concentrated fluids can be analyzed by the first analysis path and the second analysis path. The first analysis path and the second analysis path extend from a first side of the opposite sides of the cuvette to a second side of the opposite sides of the cuvette.

Technology described herein includes a method that includes providing, by an optical light source, a light beam configured to traverse an optical path through a fluid comprising the biological sample in a container. A length of the optical path through the fluid is between 3.3 mm to 5.5 mm, and a center of the light beam is at a height less than 1.6 mm from a bottom interior surface of the container, and a volume of the fluid is less than 120 L. An optical detector receives optical information after the light beam traverses the optical path. An output of the optical detector is associated with at least one parameter representing the one or more characteristics of the biological sample.