A method for determining physical parameters of an unknown liquid to be aspirated and/or dispensed by a laboratory automation device comprises: determining physical parameters of a pipette, the physical parameters including geometric parameters of the pipette, which at least include a tip radius of an orifice of the pipette; aspirating and/or dispensing the unknown liquid with a pipette of the laboratory automation device and measuring a measured pressure curve in the pipette during aspirating and/or dispensing; determining the physical parameters of the unknown liquid by minimizing an objective function depending on a difference between a simulated pressure curve and the measured pressure curve, wherein the simulated pressure curve simulates a pressure in the pipette during aspirating and/or dispensing and is calculated based on a physical model of the laboratory automation device including the physical parameters of the pipette.

The present invention relates to a system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in biological samples. More particularly, the invention relates to a system comprising a cooling, heating and fan arrangement for maintaining a predetermined optimum temperature of the samples during testing; a visual, circumferential and axial alignment system for aligning the samples within the carousel; a transfer system for transferring the samples from the carousel to the centrifuge; a balancing system of minimizing the rotational vibrations of the centrifuge; a safety system and anti-tipping design for the sample containing system; liquid dispensing arms for dispensing the buffered saline solution; and discharge ports for discharging and disposing of the liquid removed from the samples to a location external of the system.

The present invention provides an automatic analysis device and an automatic specimen processing system having a component-rack supply mechanism that, in a state where a plurality of component racks each having a disposable component mounted thereon are stacked, separates only a component rack at the leading stage of the stack from the other component racks, and supplies the separated component rack to the automatic analysis device or the automatic specimen processing system. Specifically, the automatic analysis device and the automatic specimen processing system have a supply mechanism including a separation mechanism that, in a state where a plurality of component racks are stacked, separates only a component rack at the leading stage of the stack from the other component racks, where the separation mechanism includes a movable mechanism having a pair of downward-movement prevention members that can separate the leading stage from the second stage of the stacked component racks; and a correction mechanism having a pair of correction members that correct a positional deviation of the component racks in order to avoid an influence of the positional deviation of the stacked component racks.

This invention relates to devices and methods for purifying, detecting and using biological cells. A variety of cell types including viable tumor, stem, immune and sperm cells can be purified from a complex biological sample using a column, including a pipette tip column. Methods of the invention can aid research, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Purified viable cells can be detected on the column or eluted from the column and detected. Cells on a column can be used as a stationary phase for liquid chromatography. Cells may be removed, recovered and analyzed.

A foil and its use in a method for analyzing a sample in an automatic analyzer, comprising the steps of providing foil comprising at least one immobilized reagent; forming the foil to a receptacle; adding the sample to the receptacle; and analyzing a reaction between sample and immobilized reagent.

Temperature adjustment with a pipette tip temperature adjustment unit (7) and a drive unit (54) for raising and lowering a pipette tip (51), an environment temperature sensor (10) for sensing temperature inside an analysis apparatus (1A), a pump (53) for drawing a liquid into pipette tip (51) and discharging liquid in the pipette tip (51), and a control unit (6a) for setting, in advance, temperature control target value during sample analysis for unit (7) based on environment temperature sensed by sensor (10), and during sample analysis, drive unit (54) lowers pipette tip (51), pump (53) performs pumping wherein intake and discharge are repeated in a state in which unit (7) blows air, and unit (6a) sets, in advance, the temperature value for use during sample analysis for the pipette tip temperature adjustment unit (7) on the basis of analysis reagent information and the environment temperature sensed by e sensor (10).

An automatic analysis system (1) for analyzing a sample (23), the analysis system (1) comprising a first device (2) for storing cartridges (3) at a first temperature (T1), the first temperature (T1) being less than 268.15 kelvin.

A detection device for detecting a substance to be detected contained in a specimen has a pipette that has a detachable pipette tip and that suctions or discharges a specimen in a container, a pipette-moving unit for moving the pipette, and a control unit for controlling the pipette and pipette-moving unit. The control unit controls the pipette and the pipette-moving unit so that the pipette suctions a portion of specimen in the container with the pipette-moving unit having moved the distal end of the pipette tip to a position (a) in the lower side of the container, and thereafter discharges in the container the specimen suctioned by the pipette to stir the specimen with the pipette-moving unit having moved the distal end of the pipette tip to a position (b) above the position (a).

This invention relates to devices and methods for purifying, detecting and using biological cells. A variety of cell types including viable tumor, stem, immune and sperm cells can be purified from a complex biological sample using a column, including a pipette tip column. Methods of the invention can aid research, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Purified viable cells can be detected on the column or eluted from the column and detected. Cells on a column can be used as a stationary phase for liquid chromatography. Cells may be removed, recovered and analyzed.

An object moving device includes: a first drive mechanism configured to move a head unit in a first direction and in a second direction; a second drive mechanism configured to move an illumination unit in the first direction; and a third drive mechanism configured to move a camera unit in the first direction. A control unit controls the first drive mechanism to move the head unit on a first path. The control unit controls the second and third drive mechanisms to move the illumination unit and the camera unit on the first path between the first container and the second container. When the head unit and the illumination unit interfere with each other on the first path, the control unit implements control such that the head unit moves in the second direction and the head units moves in the first direction on a second path parallel to the first path.