In some aspects, automated rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems for performing a multi-assay testing sequence can include an automated incubation assembly having a nest assembly adapted to house at least one test panel having a plurality of wells for receiving a sample comprising microorganisms originating from a clinical sample, the incubation assembly facilitating incubation of one or more test panels in order to undergo the multi-assay testing sequence; a robotic handling assembly configured to accept one or more incoming test panels and move them to and from the incubation assembly for incubation between each assay of the multi-assay testing sequence; an automated liquid handling assembly configured to exchange one or more fluids in the plurality of wells of the test panels; and an optical assembly for interrogation and readout of each assay of the multi-assay testing sequence being performed in the plurality of wells.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the analyzer includes a reagent driving disk that accommodates a reagent configured for analysis and that transports the reagent to a desired position, and a fixed disk that has a reagent stand-by position in which to make a reagent container containing the reagent, temporarily stand by, and a magnetic particles stirring position for stirring magnetic particles. A portion of the reagent stand-by position is constituted by a loading system. A reagent container moving unit moves reagent containers containing the reagent, between the reagent driving unit and the fixed disk, according to analytical request status. Providing in a part of the fixed disk the loading system constructed so that reagent containers containing the reagent can be mounted therein during operation enables changing of reagent containers, irrespective of an operational status of the reagent driving disk, and the system to having cold-storage functionality.

An automated system and method for storing/retrieving vessel holders is presented. A first storage compartment comprises first storage sections. A first translating mechanism vertically translates one storage section to a loading level for loading holders into the first storage compartment and translates one storage section to a handing-in level for handing in holders to/from an analyzer. A second storage compartment comprises second storage sections. A second translating mechanism vertically translates one second storage sections to a handing-out level and translates one storage section to an unloading level for unloading holders from the second storage compartment. A first transport mechanism comprises a first conveyor for transporting holders from a first storage section at the handing-in level to a handing-over station. A second transport mechanism comprises a second conveyor for transporting holders from the handing-over station to a second storage section at the handing-out level. A controller operates the mechanisms.

A slide storage, retrieval, transfer and scanning system for a slide scanner presents multiple components which work together in an automated fashion to streamline slide scanning in digital pathology. A slide storage assembly stores several slide baskets and can deliver a particular basket through a rotation mechanism. A slide basket transfer assembly retrieves the basket from the slide storage assembly and transfers the basket to a secondary location, where a slide transfer assembly retrieves a single slide from the basket and delivers the slide to a slide scanning stage for scanning.

An automatic filter changer that automatically inserts and removes a filter from a fluidic path. Filters are introduced into the automatic filter changer in stacks. The lead filter and each stack is removed from its respective stack one by one by a filter separator. The separated filters are deposited onto a shuttle plate which moves the filters into their respective fluidic paths. Fluid couplers connect to each filter to complete their respective fluidic paths and allow fluids to be filtered before sampling. Once collection of the samples is complete, the filters are removed from the fluidic path and discarded or saved for reuse. The shuttle path is returned to its original position to receive new filters to repeat the process again. A graphic user interface is provided to allow the user to program a specific set of instructions to automate the entire process.

There is described an apparatus for automatically depositing, preserving and recovering specimens of biological materials contained in test tubes in/from a refrigerated store. Said apparatus comprises two test tube handling devices between test tube containers and carriers positioned on a conveyor adapted to automatically handle said test tubes; said two test tube handling devices are intended the one to load said test tubes from the refrigerated store to the conveyor and the other to unload test tubes from the conveyor (4) to the refrigerated store. Said test some containers are handled between said refrigerated store and said test tube handling devices by a container handling device.

A plate changer is provided with a plate storage and a transport mechanism. The plate storage is provided with an installation window portion and a transport window portion arranged to face to each other. The plate storage is further provided with a plate stopper at the transport window portion. The plate stopper stops the sample plate by being arranged at an interfering position where the plate stopper comes into contact with a transport window portion-side end face of the sample plate when the sample plate inserted from the installation window portion has reached a predetermined position in the one direction. The the plate stopper is configured to be arranged at a non-interfering position where the plate stopper does not interfere with the transport mechanism and the sample plate when the sample plate on the plate installation stand is taken out from the transport window portion by the gripping portion.

An insert for a turning device for medical ampoules includes an input section having a plurality of input apertures for receiving one ampoule in each case and provided in a first arrangement structure, a dispensing section having a plurality of output apertures for dispensing one ampoule in each case and provided in a second arrangement structure, and a transition section having a plurality of guides and arranged such that the output apertures are arranged in a second arrangement structure, wherein the input apertures and the outlet apertures are arranged eccentrically relative to each other.

The specimen storage apparatus includes: a specimen conveyor line which conveys a specimen for which the pre-processing is completed and which is installed on a specimen conveyance holder; a lift mechanism capable of driving a specimen tray having the specimen installed therein in front-and-back and vertical directions; a specimen chuck mechanism which transfers the specimen from a specimen acquisition position of the specimen conveyor line to the specimen tray on the lift mechanism; a specimen storage unit which receives the specimen tray from the lift mechanism, includes hierarchical specimen storage spaces in a vertical direction, and accommodates a plurality of specimen trays in a lateral direction while keeping them cold; a shutter mechanism which is opened and closed at the time of delivery of the specimen tray between the lift mechanism and the specimen storage unit; and a control unit which controls each of the mechanisms.

Luminescence test measurements are conducted using an assay module having integrated electrodes with a reader apparatus adapted to receive assay modules, induce luminescence, preferably electrode induced luminescence, in the wells or assay regions of the assay modules and measure the induced luminescence.