A fluid sample collection card in one embodiment includes an absorbent strip including a sample application portion, a first absorbent strip portion extending directly from the sample application portion, and a second absorbent strip portion extending directly from the sample application portion and spaced apart from the first absorbent strip portion by the sample application portion, a non-absorbent layer positioned beneath the absorbent strip, and a sample application portion indicium configured to identify the sample application portion.

Microfluidic chips incorporating liquid level sensors for precise sensing of liquid levels in microfluidic system structures, e.g., channels, cavities or reservoirs without moving parts. The microfluidic system uses liquid level photosensors and use optical properties to measure liquid volumes. A light coupling emitter or waveguide transmits the light toward the fluid channel at a critical angle. Multiple light coupling emitters and photosensor array can detect light for a variety of scenarios (based on fluid refraction index) and exploit the phenomenon of critical angles to measure exact angles of reflection/refraction. The waveguide coupler(s) and photosensors are manufactured at the microscale, and use both reflected light and refracted light as monitor signals. A feedback control system (e.g., compensating for rate and tolerance drift) is devised using signals generated by the sensors upon detecting reflected or refracted sensed light for increased accuracy of detecting precise amounts of fluid volumes being dispensed.

The invention relates to a manually-operated mono-channel or multi-channel pipette for the sampling and dispensing of a liquid sample in accordance with a given protocol, comprising a control button equipped with an autonomous control device which can supply a user with information relating to a pipetting operation in real time during the pipetting operation.

The present invention is related to the field of bio/chemical sampling, sensing, assays and applications. Particularly, the present invention is related to how to make the sampling/sensing/assay become simple to use, fast to results, highly sensitive, easy to use, using tiny sample volume (e.g. 0.5 uL or less), operated by a person without any professionals, reading by mobile-phone, or low cost, or a combination of them.

The present invention relates to methods, devices and systems for associating assay information with an assay consumable used in a biological assay. Provided are assay systems and associated consumables, wherein the assay system includes a reader adapted to read/erase/write information from/to an assay consumable identifier associated with the assay consumable. Various types of assay information are described, as well as methods of using such information in the conduct of an assay by an assay system.

Fluidic systems including cartridges comprising vessels, microfluidic channels and related methods for performing chemical and/or biological analyses are generally provided. The systems described herein include, according to certain embodiments, a cartridge comprising a vessel adapted and arranged to contain a fluid and/or reagent for performing a chemical and/or biological analysis. The vessel may be designed to have a particular shape or configuration, such as a tapered cross-sectional shape, e.g., to facilitate manipulation of a fluid and/or reagent within the vessel (e.g., a lyosphere).

The invention relates to a handheld fluid transfer apparatus, more particularly a pipette or repeater pipette, and a laboratory system comprising the handheld fluid transfer apparatus, which comprises: a control apparatus, which comprises a data processor capable to execute a control program for controlling at least one electronically controllable function of the handheld fluid transfer apparatus using input data, a user interface device for receiving a user input, the user interface device comprising a motion sensor device for measuring motion data of the handheld fluid transfer apparatus and for providing at least one motion data sequence, which contains subsequently measured motion data, a motion data memory for storing the at least one motion data sequence, an evaluation device being configured to determine the input data in dependence on the evaluation of the at least one motion data sequence. The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating the fluid transfer apparatus or the laboratory system.

A microfluidic processing device includes a substrate defining a microfluidic network. The substrate is in thermal communication with a plurality of N independently controllable components and a plurality of input output contacts for connecting the substrate to an external controller. Each component has at least two terminals. Each terminal is in electrical communication with at least one contact. The number of contacts required to independently control the N components is substantially less than the total number of terminals. Upon actuation, the components typically heat a portion of the microfluidic network and/or sense a temperature thereof.

Systems and methods for determining the presence and/or amount of analytes in a fluid sample are described.

An automated system for performing nucleic acid amplification assays on samples provided to the system, where the system includes data input components configured to enable input specifying one or more user-defined assay parameters; data storage media storing a first set of assay parameters, the first set of assay parameters consisting of system-defined parameters, and a second set of assay parameters, the second set of assay parameters including the one or more user-defined parameters; and command input components configured to enable input specifying (i) that a first nucleic acid amplification assay be performed on a first sample in accordance with the first set of assay parameters, and (ii) that a second nucleic acid amplification assay be performed on a second sample in accordance with the second set of assay parameters. The system further includes one or more wash stations, a fluid transfer device, a thermal processing station, and a detection station for detecting the presence or absence of multiple analytes.