A method for operating a laboratory system comprising instruments for processing samples and a control unit connected by a communication network is presented. The method comprises receiving and identifying a biological sample and retrieving an order list from a database. The list comprises a plurality of targets defining one or more processing steps to be carried out on the biological sample by one or more of the laboratory instruments. The method also comprises selecting a workflow strategy and retrieving workflow acceptance criterion corresponding to the workflow strategy. The control unit determines a sample workflow for processing the sample based on the workflow strategy and determines whether the sample workflow satisfies the workflow acceptance criterion. If the sample workflow does not satisfy the workflow acceptance criterion, workflow strategy and the workflow acceptance criterion is refined and the sample workflow is determined again until it satisfies the workflow acceptance criterion.

A method of reading machine-readable marks on a movable support and object of a sample instrument. The method includes capturing a first image of the moveable support as the moveable support moves from a first position to a second position using an image capture device; determining whether a first fiducial machine-readable mark on the moveable support is in the first image; determining, when the first fiducial machine-readable mark is in the first image, whether a first machine-readable mark on a first object coupled to the moveable support is in the first image at a predetermined position relative to the first fiducial machine-readable mark; and associating information decoded from the first machine-readable mark on the first object with a first location on the moveable support associated with the first fiducial machine-readable mark.

A container carrier for carrying a sample container along a track is presented. The container carrier comprises a holding portion for receiving and holding a sample container and a base portion. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag containing identifying information is provided with an antenna for wireless communication of the RFID tag with a reader device of the diagnostics system to read the identifying information. The RFID tag is on the holding portion. An arrangement for a diagnostics system is provided comprising container carriers and a track with a transport mechanism for moving the container carriers along a transportation lane. The transport mechanism defines a transport plane along which the container carriers move. A reader device reads the identifying information from the RFID tags. The reader device comprising a reader antenna above the transport plane to generate and emit a reader field for wireless communication with the RFID tag's antenna.

A sample processing station includes two or more container holders on a platform that is rotatable about a central axis of rotation. Each holder is configured to rotate about a secondary axis of rotation. The station includes a capping/decapping mechanism to cap or decap a container held in one of the container holders and a drip tray movable between a first position not under the capping/decapping mechanism and a second position under the capping/decamping mechanism.

A method to localize a carrier on a laboratory transport system is presented. The laboratory transport system comprises a carrier associated with an identity, a multi-lane transport module, and a control unit. The carrier comprises a signal transmitter configured to transmit a signal comprising information about the identity. The multi-lane transport module comprises a transport surface comprising a first and a second transport lane as well as a first signal receiver and a second signal receiver each configured to receive the transmitted signal. Based on received signal strengths, the control unit localizes the carrier on one of the transport lanes of the multi-lane transport module.

The equipment for the traceability of biological samples placed in cassettes provided with encoded identification data and intended to be stored within baskets, the general shape of which may vary from one basket to another includes at least one container to accommodate at least one basket, at least one apparatus for reading encoded data affixed on cassettes arranged in at least one basket placed in the container, a device for computerized processing of the data read by the apparatus for reading, and a device for identifying the shape of the basket placed in the container.

An agriculture management and analysis system for analysis, interpretation, and visualization of genetic data to improve production, performance, and management of agriculture, such as livestock.

A biological indicator reader system (100) may comprise a standalone computing device (110) comprising a standalone reading system (140) and a graphical user interface (112) (e.g., a graphical touchscreen interface) that communicates with at least one incubator unit (130). The at least one incubator unit (130) may comprise a plurality of wells (132) that accommodate vials (134) as well as a display (136). The display may display information (e.g., an identification of a number of wells connected to the standalone computing device) that is also displayed on the graphical user interface (112) of the standalone computing device (110). The display (136) may be configured to show which well (132) has a vial (134) inserted therein and, additionally or alternatively, to indicate a test result in front of each respective well (132) of a test performed on the vial (134). Further, the at least one incubator unit (130) may comprise plural incubator units, which themselves comprise modular components. The plural incubator units may be connected to each other, e.g., in a daisy chain configuration.

The facility for validating the origin and/or quality of biological specimen sections, stored on specimen slides, includes a device for reading encoded identification data, a device for acquiring biometric data specific to a biological specimen, and a data transmitter to a computer processor. The facility validates the origin and/or the quality of biological specimen slides or validates the quality of the staining of biological specimen slides. There are methods for implementing the facility in the context of such uses.

Provided is a connection device to which an automatic analysis device can be connected from a plurality of directions, and a specimen inspection automating system provided with the connection device. A connection device (220) is provided with: a specimen carrier conveyance part (225) that conveys a specimen carrier (10) housing a specimen; and a carousel (221) that is configured so as to be able to hold a plurality of specimen carriers (10) carried in from the specimen carrier conveyance part (225) and that conveys the held specimen carriers (10) to specimen sampling positions (293a, 293b, 293c) for receiving a specimen sampling mechanism (305) from an external automatic analysis device (300) at a prescribed interval.