Tissue sample cassettes for receiving tissue samples include an upper tray including compartments separated by dividers, a lower tray coupled to the upper tray and having a central recess, and an absorbent material located in the recess of the lower tray. Related systems and methods for automated gross processing of tissue samples are also disclosed.

A storage system having racks and an outer container that receives the racks, each rack receiving a plurality of sample boxes, each box having a wireless ID tag. In certain embodiments, the storage system has reader electronics external to and distinct from the racks and that directly read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack without relying on any reader electronics of any rack. In other embodiments, each rack has a set of rack reader electronics that read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack, and the storage system has at least one removable reader access device removably connectable to the set of rack reader electronics of a rack in order to transmit the ID number of the wireless ID tag of each box in the rack outside of the outer container.

Each of detection instruments (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d . . . ) of which the number is enabled to be increased or decreased includes at least one sensitive membrane sensitive to a substance, generates first data representing the result of detection of the substance corresponding to the sensitive membrane, and includes second data in which the result of the detection of the substance corresponding to the sensitive membrane is associated with the membrane information of the sensitive membrane. An information terminal (2) collects the first data and the second data from each of the detection instruments (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d . . . ), and compares the first data and the second data, to specify an object to be detected.

A test device is configured for diagnostic testing and includes an optical readable medium, in turn including a pattern of spots of material arranged on a surface of the device. Several patterns may be provided. The patterns accordingly formed may be human and/or machine readable. They may notably encode security information, e.g., indicating whether the device has already been used. The spots may notably be inkjet spotted. In addition, a method is provided for decoding information encoded in a pattern of such a test device. In embodiments, liquid is introduced in the device, which comprises additional spots having a substantially different solubility than spots forming the actual pattern. Thus, the additional spots get solubilized in and flushed by the liquid as the latter wets them, and an initially hidden pattern may be read, which is formed of the remaining spots (not solubilized). Encoding methods are also provided.

Body fluid sample carrier for use in a body fluid analyser and body fluid analyser using a body fluid sample carrier, wherein the body fluid sample carrier has a plurality of rack receptacles and a plurality of marker receptacles for receiving corresponding markers in order to improve the association between racks positioned on the carrier and the correct position on the carrier.

A storage system having racks and an outer container that receives the racks, each rack receiving a plurality of sample boxes, each box having a wireless ID tag. In certain embodiments, the storage system has reader electronics external to and distinct from the racks and that directly read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack without relying on any reader electronics of any rack. In other embodiments, each rack has a set of rack reader electronics that read the wireless ID tag of each box in at least one rack, and the storage system has at least one removable reader access device removably connectable to the set of rack reader electronics of a rack in order to transmit the ID number of the wireless ID tag of each box in the rack outside of the outer container.

A rack for holding samples and various reagents, wherein the rack may be used for loading the samples and reagents prior to using the reagents. The rack accepts complementary reagent holders, each of which contain a set of reagents for carrying out a predetermined processing operation, such as preparing biological samples for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides extracted from the samples.

A method for automated processing of a sample using a first pipette tip container (110) having a first pipette tip comprises the steps of: removing the first pipette tip (160) from the first pipette tip container (110); feeding the sample into the first pipette tip container (110); processing the sample in the first pipette tip container (110). A rack (100) comprises at least one first pipette tip container (110) having a first pipette tip (160), wherein the rack (100) comprises means for identifying an alignment of an orientation of the rack (100) in a rack receptacle of an apparatus for automated processing of a sample. A transport arrangement comprises at least two racks (100), wherein at least one bottom region of a pipette tip container (110) of a first rack (100) is in direct contact with a releasable covering, in particular a tear-off film of a second rack (100).

A laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The laboratory sample distribution system comprises an optical inspection device adapted to optically inspect items that need to be optically inspected, at least one mirror device, a driver adapted to move the items to be optically inspected and to move the at least one mirror device, and a control device configured to move an item to be optically inspected relative to the optical inspection device by controlling the driver such that a field of view of the optical inspection device is extended.

To save a space and to reduce a burden of a user due to an exchange work of a reagent having large capacitance.

A reagent mounting mechanism (14) including a reagent mounting part (15) serving as an installation location of containers (9a, 9b, 9c, and 19) for holding a solution such as a reagent is provided in a side surface of an analysis unit (100) to be drawable. An RFID reader (10) for reading an RFID tag (13) installed in the containers (9a, 9b, 9c, and 19) is arranged in a position matching the RFID tag (13) when the containers (9a, 9b, 9c, and 19) are placed on the reagent mounting part (15) of the drawn reagent mounting mechanism (14).