An aid device, for manually emptying contents of a tube, including: a housing, a clamp, coupled to the housing and configured to secure a position of the tube in relation to the housing, wherein the tube includes a plunger configured to slide within the tube between an inlet end of the tube and an outlet end of the tube, a pusher configured to abut the plunger, and a lever pivotally coupled to the pusher by a first rotational axis such that the lever is continuously rotatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration about the first rotational axis, thereby facilitating a continuous movement of the pusher from the open configuration to the closed configuration, wherein the clamp is configured to secure the position of the tube such that the plunger of the tube is positioned between the outlet end of the tube and the pusher.

This system takes in raw cellular material collected using a provided swab, blood collection device, urine collection device, or other sample collection device and transforms that biological material into a digital result, identifying the presence, absence and/or quantity of nucleic acids, proteins, and/or other molecules of interest.

A skewer-type gripper for one-sidedly receiving a test sample positioned in a defined manner and still compressed by plungers in a punching device and consisting of viscoelastic materials with an upper side and an edge area. The gripper has a base and skewer-type means arranged in a plane therein, which can pierce into the edge area of the still compressed test sample parallel to the upper side. The skewer-type means are configured in such a way that the test sample can be received and held in a torque-proof manner by the skewer-type means. The gripper is configured and set up for horizontally receiving the test sample from a punching device, and the gripper or skewer-type means can be exposed to a feed force for this purpose.

A biological sample collection system can include a sample collection vessel having a sample collection chamber with an opening configured to receive a biological sample into the sample collection chamber. The biological sample collection system can additionally include a selectively movable sleeve valve configured to associate with the opening of the sample collection chamber. The biological sample collection system can additionally include a sealing cap that is configured to associate with the selectively movable sleeve valve and with the sample collection vessel. The sealing cap can include a reagent chamber having reagent(s) stored therein, and when the sealing cap is associated with the sample collection vessel, the selectively movable sleeve valve opens, dispensing the reagent(s) into the sample collection chamber.

A sample collection system can include a sample collection vessel having a sample collection chamber with an opening configured to receive a sample into the sample collection chamber. The sample collection system can additionally include a selectively movable sleeve valve configured to associate with the opening of the sample collection chamber. The sample collection system can include a sealing cap that is configured to associate with the selectively movable sleeve valve and with the sample collection vessel. The sealing cap can include a reagent chamber having reagent(s) stored therein, and when the sealing cap is associated with the sample collection vessel, the selectively movable sleeve valve opens, dispensing the reagent(s) into the sample collection chamber. When the selectively moveable sleeve associates with the sample collection chamber, an outer sleeve slides relative to an inner vessel, opening the sleeve and dispensing reagent into the sample collection chamber.

An automated laboratory system includes a storage system including a frame and a platform slidably mounted to the frame such that the platform is slidable relative to the frame between a docked position and an undocked position, the platform being configured to carry an instrument. The system also includes a robotic device proximate the storage system and being configured to access the instrument carried by the platform. Another automated laboratory system includes a storage system including a table and a tabletop having a central axis and being rotatably positioned on the table such that the tabletop is rotatable about the central axis between a docked position and an undocked position, the tabletop being configured to carry an instrument. The system also includes a robotic device proximate the storage system and being configured to access the instrument carried by the tabletop.

Machine image detection involving a trained classifier is used to detect a result of a test stick diagnostic device configured to detect the presence of an analyte in a test sample. Example implementations include receiving a digital image comprising a depiction of at least a portion of a test stick diagnostic device and applying the digital image to a classifier configured to determine a relative position, relative orientation, and relative scale of the portion of the test stick diagnostic device with respect to the digital image, identify a test result region of the test stick diagnostic device, and detect a test result marking in the test result region of the test stick diagnostic device. An indication of a result of a diagnostic test may be provided based on the detected test result marking.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an embedding apparatus capable of selectively changing a thickness above a hand-rest part of a mechanism for placing a hand. As solving means, the embedding apparatus (10) according to the present invention configured to dispense and embed an embedding material into an embedding tray includes a cold spot (16) configured to cool the embedding tray, a hand-rest part (18) provided on each of left and right sides with the cold spot (16) interposed therebetween, and a wrist-rest part (24) detachably attached onto the hand-rest part (18).

Techniques for antenna positioning system having a drive element shared by multiple antennas for positioning about a positioning degree of freedom are described. In some examples, each antenna can be coupled with a rotating spindle, with each antenna spindle being coupled with the shared drive element. By driving a shared drive element, each of the antenna spindles in the system can be rotated via the associated coupling. In some examples, such a coupling may include link arms with an adjustable length to reduce backlash or to apply a preload to the system. In some examples, such a coupling may be configured to position multiple antennas over different orientation ranges in response to the drive element driving over an actuation range, which may include one antenna being idled or otherwise maintained at an orientation while another antenna is driven, or may include different antennas being driven according to different actuation ratios.

A holder that can be used to stand up a PCR tube on a flat surface or held in a user's hand. The holder has a first elongated portion, a second elongated portion and a third elongated portion. The first elongated portion having a magnet, the second elongated portion having a tube holding means and the third elongate portion acting as a stabilizer to allow the holder to standup in an upright position. The third elongate portion can also be used as a gripping surface to be held between fingers of a hand.