An electronic laboratory metering system for liquids includes an electrical hand-held metering device (2) having at least one operation sensor unit (5) that detects operation of the hand-held metering device (2) and generates operating data and stores same in a storage apparatus (6), wherein the hand-held metering device (2) has an interface module (7) for connecting the hand-held metering device (2) to an external network access apparatus (4) for transferring the operating data; the metering system (1), specifically a data processing system (3), has a comparison unit (9) to compare operating data with target operating data and/or to compare context parameter data from the context parameter sensor unit (8) with target context parameter data and to generate a comparison result. The metering system (1) includes a documentation unit (10) designed to generate and store log data records including at least the operating data and/or the context parameter data. The documentation unit (10) is connected to the comparison unit (9) to transmit the comparison results from the comparison unit (9) to the documentation unit (10) and the documentation unit (10) stores the comparison results as part of the log data records to be assigned to the relevant operating data and/or context parameter data, to add to same after operation of the hand-held metering device (2) has ended.

The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of a robotic arm in an automatic liquid handling system in which a measurement probe with a first electrode is arranged on the robotic arm and, together with a second electrode formed by at least part of a working area or at least part of a container or container carrier forms a measurement capacitor that is operatively connected to a measurement unit for measuring an impedance, in particular a capacitance of the measurement capacitor. The method involves moving the measurement probe along a first path, detecting a first change in the impedance, in particular in the capacitance of the measurement capacitor at a first point on the first path, and defining at least one first reference spatial coordinate for a control unit of the robotic arm on the basis of the first point on the first path.

A pipetting device includes pipetting unit(s), a guide assembly with at least one guide rail on which the pipetting unit(s) is guided in order to be moved along a movement axis, and a linear drive assembly, by which the pipetting unit(s) can be driven in order to be moved along the movement axis. The linear drive device has a stationary stator, and the at least one pipetting unit forms a linear drive assembly rotor which can be moved along the movement axis relative to the stator. The pipetting device also has at least two rotor magnet assemblies which interact with the same common stator magnet assembly so as to generate a drive force and which are arranged at a distance from one another along a spacing axis that is orthogonal to the movement axis. The common stator magnet assembly is located between the at least two rotor magnet assemblies.

A cartridge for evaluating the volume of an aliquot of liquid is described. The cartridge can have one or more well tabs that pivot into a position in which liquid dispensed into a corresponding well is placed in contact with a capillary and surface tension draws the liquid from the well into the capillary. Comparison of the liquid-air interface with markings on or near the capillary, can reveal the volume of liquid dispensed. One or more additional features, such as well tabs that are stable in a substantially vertical orientation and/or a groove for protecting and/or self-aligning the capillary can ensure that the device operates properly.

The present disclosure is directed to a device for supporting manual pipetting of liquids, to the use of such a pipetting support device, and to a method for pipetting liquid, for example from a number of first vessels to a number of second vessels, wherein a moving unit is movable in relation to a first plate and at least partially covers the first plate during use of the pipetting support device, and at least one edge of the moving unit provides guidance to support a manual pipetting procedure from said first plate to said second plate, or vice versa.

Methods for separating cells from a sample (e.g., separating fetal red blood cells from maternal blood) include introducing a sample including cells into one or more microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, the device includes at least two processing steps. For example, a mixture of cells is introduced into a microfluidic channel that selectively allows the passage of a desired type of cell, and the population of cells enriched in the desired type is then introduced into a second microfluidic channel that allows the passage of the desired cell to produce a population of cells further enriched in the desired type. The selection of cells is based on a property of the cells in the mixture, for example, size, shape, deformability, surface characteristics (e.g., cell surface receptors or antigens and membrane permeability), or intracellular properties (e.g., expression of a particular enzyme).

A sample measurement system according to an embodiment may include: sample measurement units that receive supply of containers and perform measurement on samples; a rack setting unit in which a rack storing the containers to be supplied to at least one of the sample measurement units is set; a first transport path that transports the containers from the rack setting unit to at least one of the sample measurement units; a second transport path that is provided at a position different from the first transport path in a height direction and that transports the containers from at least one of the sample measurement units to the rack setting unit; and a transfer path that transfers the containers between the first transport path and the second transport path.

Systems and methods for handling a variety of sample and preparatory fluids in a rack specifically configured for compatibility with predetermined liquid handlers such as automated pipettors or multi-channel manual pipettors and set up for magnetic based sample preparation. The rack can hold all of the necessary sample and reagent vials, and present them to the pipettor in some embodiments in a way that allows for parallel operation. The rack includes slidable magnets that in some embodiments are actuatable directly by the pipettor, eliminating a layer of complexity. Combined with a suitable pipettor the magnet enabled rack supports a multistep magnetic based sample preparation capability in a high throughput manner at one station that enhances sample purity throughout magnetic separation processes.

The present invention is directed generally to devices and methods for manipulating laboratory pipettes in a programmable manner. The present invention is directed to an apparatus and methods for allowing a user to instruct the device to perform a specific process; identifying the type, location and identity of the consumables to be used; manipulating a plurality of pipettes for performing the liquid handling; monitoring the process during and after its execution; generating a detailed report for the plurality of actions. Other aspects of this invention include optimization of the liquid dispensing performances of a pipette; monitoring and controlling individual actions by means of vision; virtualization of the protocol definition by means of a reality augmented software interface; integration of the system in a conventional laboratory environment workflow.

The invention relates to a measuring apparatus for detecting the relative position of an end portion of a pipetting container by an interaction between a measurement support section of the pipetting container and the measuring apparatus. The invention relates to an automatic laboratory, which comprises this measuring apparatus and to a corresponding measuring method.