A test cartridge includes an adjustable lancet. The adjustable lancet is controlled by a controller. The adjustable lancet automatically detects a subject's finger, adjusts the lancet's height, pricks the finger to draw blood, moves a tube to collect the blood, moves the tube away from the finger, and empties the blood from the tube into a vial or receptacle. The adjustable lancet may include safety features to prevent the lancet to trigger when the subject's fingernail is facing the lancet, to control the amount that the lancet pierces the subject's finger, and/or to prevent the reuse of a test cartridge for multiple persons or multiple times by the same person. The adjustable lancet may include a massager wheel and/or a pressure bar to rub the subject's finger after the finger is pierced to facilitate drawing of the blood from the finger.

This disclosure relates to a system and method for drawing blood from a user by skin puncture instead of venous puncture and storing it for analysis. The system includes a receptacle configured to engage an area of skin of the user at a blood draw location and store blood drawn from the user; a lancet device disposed within the receptacle configured to puncture the skin of the user at the blood draw location; a vacuum device configured to reduce a pressure within the receptacle such that the skin at the blood draw location is drawn into the receptacle before the lancet device punctures the skin, and to enhance blood flow while blood is drawn from the user; and a housing configured to house the receptacle, the lancet device, and the vacuum device. The receptacle, the lancet device, and the vacuum device may be modular and removably coupled with the housing.

Disclosed is a syringe apparatus. Syringe apparatus has a barrel including an inner surface, an open end, and an inlet end; a plunger including a plunger head received in slidable sealing contact with the inner surface of the barrel and forming a reservoir therein; and an extensible member, optionally including an additive, is contained in the reservoir. Extensible member can be coupled between the inlet end and the plunger head and is extensible in length L as a bio-liquid (e.g., whole blood) is drawn into the reservoir. Methods of mixing or adding an additive such as an anticoagulant, coagulant, or marker, to a bio-liquid are provided, as are other aspects.

A device for collecting a blood sample is provided. The device includes a collection unit, at least one capillary tube, a vacuum connector, and a storage unit. The collection unit has a top window for receiving the blood sample, a top surface, and a channel communicated with the top window. The at least one capillary tube is disposed in the collection unit and has a top end adjacent to the top window of the collection unit. The vacuum connector extends from the collection unit and communicates with the channel to provide a negative pressure by removing air in the channel. The storage unit is disposed under the collection unit for storing the blood sample.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids) from a subject, e.g., from or beneath the skin of a subject. In some cases, the blood (or other bodily fluids) may be deposited on a membrane or other substrate. For example, blood may be absorbed in a substrate, and dried in some cases to produce a dried blood spot. In one aspect, the present invention is generally directed to devices and methods for receiving blood from a subject, e.g., from the skin, using devices including a substance transfer component (which may contain, for example, one or more microneedles), and directing the blood on a substrate, e.g., for absorbing blood. The substrate, in some embodiments, may comprise filter paper or cotton-based paper. After absorption of some blood onto the substrate, the substrate may be removed from the device and shipped or analyzed. In some cases, the device itself may be shipped or analyzed. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the device may be sealed such that the substrate is contained within an airtight portion of the device, optionally containing desiccant. Other aspects are generally directed at other devices for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids), kits involving such devices, methods of making such devices, methods of using such devices, and the like.

A mobile, self contained molecular diagnostics system is provided with a microfluidic chip, detection apparatus and an integrated or wireless control interface and imager. The system provides automated sample preparation and rapid optical detection of multianalyte nucleic acids and proteins. On chip PCR may be performed to improve the optical fluorescence signal for nucleic acid detections. Plasmonic protein detection is performed using a dark field smartphone microscope. Dark field illumination is based on an evanescent field generated by LED total internal reflection. The smartphone element may also be used as an interface to control the detection apparatus, acquire images, process data and for wireless communications with remote computers. The handheld automated system has low power requirements and is particularly suited for point of care and on demand diagnostics in resource limited settings.

Described here are meters and methods for sampling, transporting, and/or analyzing a fluid sample. The meters may include a meter housing and a cartridge. In some instances, the meter may include a tower which may engage one or more portions of a cartridge. The meter housing may include an imaging system, which may or may not be included in the tower. The cartridge may include one or more sampling arrangements, which may be configured to collect a fluid sample from a sampling site. A sampling arrangement may include a skin-penetration member, a hub, and a quantification member.

The present invention generally relates to receiving bodily fluid through a device opening. In one aspect, the device includes a flow activator arranged to cause fluid to be released from a subject. The flow activator may be actuated in a deployment direction by a deployment actuator, which may in turn cause fluid release from a subject. The flow activator may also be moved in a retraction direction by a retraction actuator. In one aspect, the device may include a vacuum source that may help facilitate fluid flow into the opening of the device and/or may help facilitate fluid flow from the opening to a storage chamber. In one aspect, an effector may enable fluid communication between the opening and the vacuum source and may do so in response to actuation of the flow activator.

The present invention relates to a device for collecting body fluids including (a) a fluid receiving part including a fluid receiving space in which an internal low pressure less than an external atmospheric pressure is formed; (b) a fluid collection part including a hollow microstructure connected to form an open system with the fluid receiving space of the fluid receiving part; and (c) a microstructure hollow barrier for blocking the hollow of the microstructure to maintain the internal low pressure formed in the fluid receiving means.

An apparatus and method for collecting blood from the umbilical cord of a newborn into a standard vacuum collection tube is disclosed wherein the apparatus comprises a vessel in the general shape of a cup with an open top, a receiving cavity and a tapered bottom surface wherein the taper of the tapered bottom surface is away from the receiving cavity; a pick up tube with open top end and closed bottom, and side tabs, a needle inserted through an opening in the closed bottom of said tube wherein the diameter of the opening is of sufficient size to only allow the tip of the needle to be inserted, and a means for providing an air tight seal between the inserted needle and said opening.