A biological sample analyzer includes: a camera 201a imaging a blood collection tube 209 containing a biological sample; an image processing section 201b and a comparative analysis section 206 that analyze the image imaged by the camera in order to extract an existence region of the biological sample; a light source 203a1, a photo sensor 203a2 and a liquid-level position detection section 203b that detect the amount of transmitted light in the blood collection tube 209 in order to detect a liquid-level position of the biological sample; and the comparative analysis section 206 that, based on the extracted existence region of the biological sample and the detected liquid-level position of the biological sample, identifies a determination target portion for a category of the biological sample, and acquires color information on the identified portion, in order to determine a category of the biological sample contained in the blood collection tube 209.

A method and a device for handling sample tubes are presented. A position of the sample tube is identified and the sample tube is handled depending thereon.

An automated sample specimen storage system including a tube holding microplate including a plate frame, a predetermined array of tube holding receptacles formed in the plate frame, the receptacles having a SBS standard pitch corresponding to the predetermined array, and being configured for holding therein sample store and transport tubes, each disposed so as to contain sample specimen in a sample storage of the storage system and to effect, with the sample tube, delivery from the sample storage to a workstation, the predetermined array of receptacles defining a volume capacity of the tube holding microplate, and each of the receptacles being shaped to conformally engage walls of the sample tubes and hold a respective one of the sample store and transport tubes, wherein the receptacles are arranged so that the tube holding microplate volume capacity defined by the predetermined array is an under optimum volume capacity.

A method of reading machine-readable labels on sample receptacles held by a sample rack. In the method, an absolute position of the sample rack is measured as the sample rack moves between first and second positions in a housing. During movement between the first and second positions, an image is acquired of a machine-readable label associated with each sample receptacle held by the sample rack. The image of each machine-readable label is thereafter decoded.

A laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises a number of sample container carriers, a transport plane, a number of electro-magnetic actuators, a number of position sensors and a position determination unit. The position sensors and the position determination unit enable improved sample container carrier position detection on the transport plane. A laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.

Methods of calibrating a position of a component using onboard crush and crash sensors. The method includes providing the robot with gripper and crush and crash sensors, providing a calibration tool coupled to the gripper, and providing a component including a recess and crush zone. The method includes moving the gripper in a first Controller direction to sense contact between the calibration tool and crush zone, and recording the contact position. Likewise, the gripper is moved to insert the tool into the recess, followed by moving the gripper in second directions and sensing contact between the tool and recess, and moving the gripper in third directions and sensing contact between the tool and recess. Contact positions are recorded and processed to determine a surface location in the first direction and physical center of the recess. Robot calibration apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed, as are other aspects.

According to an embodiment, a sample processing apparatus includes an image capture unit which captures an image of a sample container, and a sorting unit which performs a sorting process for the sample container based on a type of the sample container detected from the image.

An automated sample specimen storage system including a tube holding microplate including a plate frame, a predetermined array of tube holding receptacles formed in the plate frame, the receptacles having a SBS standard pitch corresponding to the predetermined array, and being configured for holding therein sample store and transport tubes, each disposed so as to contain sample specimen in a sample storage of the storage system and to effect, with the sample tube, delivery from the sample storage to a workstation, the predetermined array of receptacles defining a volume capacity of the tube holding microplate, and each of the receptacles being shaped to conformally engage walls of the sample tubes and hold a respective one of the sample store and transport tubes, wherein the receptacles are arranged so that the tube holding microplate volume capacity defined by the predetermined array is an under optimum volume capacity.

Methods of operating a gripper are provided. The methods include providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles accessible by the gripper, at least some of the receptacles adapted to contain specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the sample rack and the specimen containers therein, and determining, based on the data, an accessible target receptacle for one of a pick operation or a place operation. Apparatus and systems configured to carry out the methods are provided, as are other aspects.

An automatic fecal occult blood detecting analyzer used to detect a sample box is provided. The analyzer has a feeding chain and a main conveying chain. A plurality of clamping devices for clamping the sample box are provided on the feeding chain and the main conveying chain, respectively. A transferring device of the analyzer transfers the sample box from the feeding chain to the main conveying chain. The analyzer also has a pressing device and an image acquisition device for acquiring tape information presented on test strips of the sample box on the main conveying chain. Continuous detection and accurate location of a plurality of the sample boxes can be implemented without turning over and tilting the sample boxes.