The automatic analyzer includes a suction nozzle; a liquid transfer syringe; a suction channel which connects the suction nozzle and the liquid transfer syringe; a flow cell which is arranged in the middle of the suction channel; a detector for sample analysis which is arranged in the flow cell; a reaction auxiliary liquid vessel and a cleaning liquid vessel which store liquids to be sucked in by the suction nozzle; means for supplying a diluting fluid to the vessels; a cleaning tank for dumping liquid remaining in the vessels; and a controller for supplying the diluting fluid to the vessels when the remaining liquid is discharged from the vessels and thereafter having the diluted remaining liquid sucked into the flow cell via the suction nozzle and having the sucked remaining liquid discharged to the cleaning tank.

A method of depositing single particles onto a target comprises the steps of loading a particle suspension to a droplet dispenser having a suspension reservoir and a nozzle section, detecting particles in the nozzle section, testing a single particle condition of the droplet dispenser, wherein it is determined whether an ejection region of the nozzle section includes one single particle, and operating the droplet dispenser for dispensing a droplet, wherein the droplet is dispensed onto the target, if the single particle condition is fulfilled, or the droplet is dispensed into a collection reservoir, if the single particle condition is not fulfilled, wherein the step of testing the single particle condition further includes determining whether a sedimentation region adjacent to the ejection region is free of particles. Furthermore, a dispenser apparatus dispensing single particles onto a target is described.

Apparatuses and methods of optically analyzing fluid within a pipette are described herein. In an embodiment, an optical reader subassembly includes a pipette configured to aspirate and hold a fluid sample within its tip, a housing configured to receive at least the tip of the pipette through a reentrant seal so that the tip of the pipette is located in a light tight manner within an internal area, a light source positioned to be in proximity to the tip of the pipette when the tip of the pipette is received by the housing, the light source configured to project light through the tip of the pipette and onto the fluid sample held within the tip, and an optical sensor configured to take a reading of the fluid sample held within the tip of the pipette without any of the fluid sample being injected from the pipette.

According to an example, a microfluidic apparatus may include a channel, a foyer, in which the foyer is in fluid communication with the channel and in which the channel has a smaller width than the foyer, a sensor to sense a property of a fluid passing through the channel, a nozzle in fluid communication with the foyer, and an actuator positioned in line with the nozzle. The microfluidic apparatus may also include a controller to determine whether the sensed property of the fluid meets a predetermined condition and to perform a predefined action in response to the sensed property of the fluid meeting the predetermined condition.

An instrument for detecting signal from a biological sample includes a pipettor module configured to hold a plurality of pipettes in respective pipette positions, to hold liquid in one or more pipette tips, and to pipette liquid in and out of the one or more pipette tips. Each of the one or more pipette tips has a pipette tip point. The instrument further includes one or more magnets positioned such that each of the one or more pipette tips is adjacent one of the one or more magnets.

The present invention relates to a biochemical assay apparatus in which a sample processing device is controlled by a detection instrument through a series of linear and rotary actuations to execute a biochemical assay on a biological fluid sample.

An integrated microfluidic unit with pipette adaptation. The integrated microfluidic unit may be accommodated within a pipette tip rack for storage prior to use and may be received by a translating pipette head during use. The number of components required within the laboratory instrument is reduced compared to processes employing discrete microfluidic chips and pipette tips. Processes involving microfluidic devices integrated into the presently disclosed unit are streamlined at least by the elimination of discrete manipulation steps associated with aspirating sample fluid into a pipette tip, then using a discrete chip feeder or manipulator to bring the chip and pipette tip into fluidic communication for transfer of the sample to the chip. The number of consumables is also reduced by the integration of microfluidics with physical features enabling fluid aspiration and unit conveyance. A variety of microfluidic devices and channel configurations may be accommodated.

Provided are methods and devices for automated analysis of one or more samples in single or multi-well plates or vessels, wherein the process of automated analysis comprises flow and hydrodynamic, electrokinetic, and optical forces for the analysis and sorting of samples, wherein the samples comprise liquid or particles in microfluidic channels, and wherein the devices comprise an assembly of components that enable processing of a said samples for analytical assessment by fluidic and/or particle based instruments. Microfluidic structures (channels, “T's”, “Y's”, branched “Y's”, wells, and weirs) are described for facilitating sample interaction and observation, sample analysis, sorting, or isolation. Detection can be accomplished using spectroscopic methods including, but not limited to, Raman spectroscopy of single cells and bulk cellular samples (collections of cells; several individuals to hundreds or thousands of cells).

An automatic analysis device includes a probe that performs a dispensing operation including a suction process and a discharge process with respect to liquid; a syringe that generates a pressure change for dispensing liquid at the probe; a flow path that connects the probe and the syringe with each other; a pressure sensor that measures the pressure change in the flow path at the time of liquid dispensing; a storage portion that stores a pressure change of time-series when reference fluid is discharged as a reference discharge pressure waveform; and a determination portion that determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the suction process of the sample from a relationship between a value of difference or a ratio between the reference discharge pressure waveform and the pressure waveform of a determination target at the time of discharge of liquid and normal range.

Provided is an automated analysis device capable of a more accurate determination of the sizes of bubbles included in a liquid. The automated analysis device includes a detection unit which detects bubbles included in a liquid, an internal standard solution syringe which executes a first liquid supply operation in which a liquid is supplied via the detection unit, a diluent syringe, a sipper syringe, solenoid valves, and a control device which determines whether the size of the bubbles detected during the first liquid supply operation is normal or not based on the operation speed of the liquid supply unit, and controls the operation of the liquid supply unit according to the determination.