This invention is in the field of medical devices. Specifically, the present invention provides fluidic systems having a plurality of reaction sites surrounded by optical barriers to reduce the amount of optical cross-talk between signals detected from various reaction sites. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing fluidic systems and methods of using the systems.

Apparatuses for preparing a sample are disclosed herein. The apparatuses include a chamber, a first valve at least partially disposed in the first chamber, a second valve at least partially disposed in the first chamber, and a pump comprising an actuator and nozzle.

Systems, methods, and software that measure a plurality of error values each related to a different condition of an aquatic environment monitoring system including a degradation in a chemical indicator due to photo-aging, a degradation in a chemical indicator due to water-aging, a physical contamination of a chemical indicator, an illumination imbalance related to an optical reader, a degradation of a light source of an optical reader, a contamination in water between an optical reader and a chemical indicator, a displacement due to friction between a chemical indicator apparatus and a monitoring unit, an error intrinsic in a chemical indicator, and an error in distance between a chemical indicator and an optical reader. The plurality of error values are used to determine a confidence level that is compared to a threshold value associated with the monitoring system. A correction instruction is generated for correcting one or more of the conditions.

The invention provides for an analysis system (100, 300, 400) for analyzing a biological sample (108) comprising an analyzer (102) with an analytical unit (106) for analyzing the biological sample to obtain an analysis result (140). The analyzer is configured for receiving a cartridge (110) comprising an identifier (114) and containing at least one reagent for analyzing the biological sample. The analyzer comprises an identification unit (116) for reading the identifier. The analyzer accepts the cartridge if the identifier is valid. The analysis system further comprises a protocol creation system (150, 104). Instructions cause the protocol creation system to: receive (200) analysis protocol parameters (164) from a user interface (158); generate (202) a custom analysis protocol (138) using the analysis protocol parameters; link (204) the custom analysis protocol to an invalid identifier which changes the invalid identifier into a valid identifier, and transfer (206) the user created analysis protocol associated with the now valid identifier to the analyzer controller.

A method and system for automatic in-vitro diagnostic analysis are described. The method includes adding a first reagent type and a second reagent type to a first test liquid during a first and second cycle times respectively. The addition of the first reagent type to the first test liquid includes parallel addition of a second reagent type to a second test liquid during the first cycle time. The addition of the second reagent type to the first test liquid includes parallel addition of a first reagent type to a third test liquid during the second cycle time, respectively.

A fluid quantification instrument is provided according to the invention. The fluid quantification instrument includes one or more sensor probes and meter electronics in communication with the one or more sensor probes. The meter electronics are configured to receive one or more raw fluid measurements from the one or more sensor probes, process the one or more raw fluid measurements using a predictive system model to produce one or more optimized fluid measurements, and determine one or more fluid quantifications using at least the one or more optimized fluid measurements.

A method and system for automatic in-vitro diagnostic analysis are described. The method includes adding a first reagent type and a second reagent type to a first test liquid during a first and second cycle times respectively. The addition of the first reagent type to the first test liquid includes parallel addition of a second reagent type to a second test liquid during the first cycle time. The addition of the second reagent type to the first test liquid includes parallel addition of a first reagent type to a third test liquid during the second cycle time, respectively.

The invention relates to systems and methods including a combination of thermal generating device technologies to achieve more efficiency and accuracy in PCR temperature cycling of nucleic samples undergoing amplification.

A parallel processing system for processing samples is described. In one embodiment, the parallel processing system includes an instrument interface parallel controller to control a tray motor driving system, a close-loop heater control and direction system, a magnetic particle transfer system, a reagent release system, a reagent pre-mix pumping system and a wash buffer pumping system.

A multi-channel system for classifying particles in a mixture of particles according to one or more characteristics including a common source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation and a beam splitter for producing multiple beams of electromagnetic radiation for directing multiple beams of electromagnetic radiation to each interrogation location associated with each flow channel of the multi-channel system.