A method and system for heating and/or inspecting a portable microfluidic assay cartridge for performing an assay includes receiving the assay cartridge on a receiving region of a translatable table under automated control, heating the cartridge, during performance of the assay, with a planar radiant heater plate, the heater plate having an aperture through which an inspection axis extends, and/or inspecting the cartridge using an optical system constructed to inspect the cartridge along the inspection axis by reading a fluorescent light signal which passes through the aperture in the heater plate. In addition, the cartridge moves with movement of the translation table, and the heater plate and optical system may be stationary, and the inspection axis may be fixed.

A substrate for use in mass spectrometric analyzes having an array of target locations.

A transfer device (2) and a method for transferring at least one functional element (3) into a process chamber (4) are provided, wherein the at least one functional element (3) is arranged interchangeably on an element carrier (5) and the element carrier (5) is transferable from a starting position (6) into an end or working position (7), wherein, in the end or working position (7), the at least one functional element (3) is arranged partly in the process chamber (4) and partly outside the process chamber (4). The invention is therefore particularly suitable for aseptic processes in the pharmaceutical industry, but is not limited to this sphere.

An operating and reading instrument for performing an assay employing a portable microfluidic assay cartridge, the instrument comprising a translatable table under automated control, the translatable table carrying a receiving region for the portable cartridge and carrying a port system connectable to the cartridge that includes at least one remotely automated valve carried by the translatable table, the valve arranged to apply pressurized flowable substance at selected times to the cartridge while the cartridge is on the translatable table.

The invention relates generally to the field of automated collection and deposition of fluid, semi-solid, and solid samples of biological or chemical materials. More specifically, the invention relates to the field of microarrayers, which are devices for autonomously depositing minute droplets of biological or chemical fluid samples in ordered arrays onto substrates. The invention also relates to tissue arrayers, which are devices for the collection and deposition of solid and semi-solid tissue samples in ordered arrays. Other aspects of the invention relate to fluidics robots, which are devices for the autonomous collection, dispensing and processing of biological or chemical fluid samples. The invention improves the throughput of microarrayers, tissue arrayers, and fluidics robots by providing methods and apparatuses to precisely and repeatably load supplies into the machines.

Complete nucleic acid library preparation devices are provided. Aspects of the devices include: a thermal chip module comprising multiple CLC reaction wells; one or more plate locations; a robotically controlled liquid handler configured to transfer liquid between the one or more plate locations and the thermal chip module; and a bulk reagent dispenser configured to access each CLC reaction well of the thermal chip module.

A pneumatically driven portable assay cartridge having analyte capture regions associated with microfluidic channels within its interior, the portable cartridge having pneumatic ports clampable against pneumatic ports of an operating instrument for controlled application of positive pressure and vacuum to pneumatic operating channels within the cartridge, the cartridge having a well for receiving sample from a user and microfluidic channels that include pneumatically operated pistons and valves controllable by the pneumatic operating channels to cause all flows of the assay from the reservoirs through reaction regions within the cartridge to on-board waste reservoir during conduct of the assay.

The present disclosure provides methods, device, and system for wafer processing. The wafer processing apparatus uses lid dispenser to disperse at least one reagent to the surface of the wafer. Further, the wafer is positioned on top of a rotatable vacuum chuck configured to spread at least one reagent over the surface of the wafer via a centrifugal force or surface tension, thereby permitting the at least one reagent to react with an additional reagent. Further, when dispensing the at least one reagent, a separation gap between the lid dispenser and the wafer is at a predetermined distance, for example, from 50 m to 2 mm.

The invention relates to a system for processing liquid and/or solid compounds, comprising a vessel (3) and a holding device (5) for the vessel (3), the holding device (5) comprising a stop (15) against which the vessel (3) rests after being inserted into the holding device (5) and a supply unit (7) opposite the stop (15), the supply unit (7) comprising a closing element (9), which can be set to a first and a second position, wherein in the first position of the closing element (9) the vessel (3) can be inserted into the holding device (5) and in the second position of the closing element (9) the vessel (3) inserted into the holding device (5) is pressed against the stop (15) by the closing element (9).

A drug reconstitution system includes a robotic arm movable between a plurality of positions, at least one bracket member operably coupled with the robotic arm, and at least one coaxial needle operably coupled with the robotic arm. The at least one bracket member includes a mounting region, a support surface, an upper surface, and a throughbore extending through the support surface and the upper surface. The at least one coaxial needle is movably disposed between the throughbore of the at least one bracket member. The at least one coaxial needle is adapted to pierce at least a portion of a vial and dispense a liquid into the vial during drug reconstitution.