A hand-held applicator (10) for collecting, mixing, diluting and discharging a sample liquid, comprising a main body (20) having an inlet-aperture (24), an outlet-aperture (26) and a chamber (22) for storing a liquid solution, wherein the chamber is connected to the inlet-aperture and the outlet-aperture, a lid (12) for covering the inlet-aperture and a tube (40), moveably supported in the inlet-aperture when the lid is covering the upper portion of the main body, wherein the tube (40) is moveable between a predetermined position outside the chamber and a position, in which the tube is at least partly located in the chamber.

This invention relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for verifying dispensing of a fluid from a pipette.

A pipetting apparatus for aspirating and dispensing liquids having a pipetting unit with an interchangeable vessel that receives a liquid to be transferred, a holder for the pipetting unit, a positioning device for the pipetting unit, a micrometering unit, and an electronic control device. The micrometering unit is embodied separately from the pipetting unit and has a separate electronic control unit. The pipetting unit has a coupling device and the micrometering unit has a counterpart coupling device that matches the coupling device for the purpose of coupling. Coupling device and/or counterpart coupling device is/are switchable. The holder or the micrometering unit has a contact device with at least one electrical contact element and the micrometering unit or the holder has a counterpart contact device, matching the contact device, with at least one counterpart electrical contact element for making electrical contact with the contact element.

Disclosed are methods and devices for detection of ion migration and binding, utilizing a nanopipette adapted for use in an electrochemical sensing circuit. The nanopipette may be functionalized on its interior bore with metal chelators for binding and sensing metal ions or other specific binding molecules such as boronic acid for binding and sensing glucose. Such a functionalized nanopipette is comprised in an electrical sensor that detects when the nanopipette selectively and reversibly binds ions or small molecules. Also disclosed is a nanoreactor, comprising a nanopipette, for controlling precipitation in aqueous solutions by voltage-directed ion migration, wherein ions may be directed out of the interior bore by a repulsing charge in the bore.

A method for operating a laboratory system comprising instruments for processing samples and a control unit connected by a communication network is presented. The method comprises receiving and identifying a biological sample and retrieving an order list from a database. The list comprises a plurality of targets defining one or more processing steps to be carried out on the biological sample by one or more of the laboratory instruments. The method also comprises selecting a workflow strategy and retrieving workflow acceptance criterion corresponding to the workflow strategy. The control unit determines a sample workflow for processing the sample based on the workflow strategy and determines whether the sample workflow satisfies the workflow acceptance criterion. If the sample workflow does not satisfy the workflow acceptance criterion, workflow strategy and the workflow acceptance criterion is refined and the sample workflow is determined again until it satisfies the workflow acceptance criterion.

Specimen delivery device for the delivery of a liquid sample to be analysed comprising: a proximal end, and a distal end. The distal end being longitudinally displaced from the proximal end of the device. The device comprises a base at the proximal end for releasable connection to a magnetic sample holder of a liquid sample analysis device. The device further comprises a longitudinally extending projection having a radial inner portion, the projection extending from the base towards the distal end, the projection being arranged for receiving and holding a sheath. The device comprises at least one fluidic conduit, the fluidic conduit extending at least partially longitudinally within the radial inner portion, the fluidic conduit for the delivery of a liquid sample for analysis.

A system for collecting a sample of a liquid, the system including a liquid storage vessel including an opening, and a capping element configured to seal the opening of the storage vessel is provided. The capping element includes a chamber configured to store a sample of the liquid separate to the liquid storage vessel. The capping element includes a pipette element defining the chamber that is configured to store the sample of liquid taken from the storage vessel.

A wiping device for a fluid product applicator including a first part forming a support, a second part forming a wiping sleeve, the wiping sleeve making it possible to wipe an applicator stick immersing in a liquid product, the first part forming a support including an annular base resting on a mouth of the container, with an axial bearing collar and a tubular portion, the second part forming a wiping sleeve including a central passage and a wiping lip, with a plurality of legs extending from the annular base towards the sleeve, the legs being separated by secondary passages, which are located radially outside the sleeve and radially inside the tubular portion of the base, with an upper wiping lip having a free edge arranged in a plane located in the vicinity of the upper plane of the collar of the base.

Provided is a temperature control system applied to an apparatus for analyzing a sample using a pipette nozzle and a reaction container, including a pipette tip temperature controller that heats a pipette tip which is fitted on the pipette nozzle and aspirates or discharges liquid and a reaction container temperature controller that heats the reaction container. The pipette tip temperature controller heats, in a concentrated manner, at least a distal end portion of the pipette tip of the pipette nozzle located at a predetermined heating position with hot air emitted from a heat source and is configured such that a distal end is capable of arriving at the reaction container by lowering the pipette nozzle from the heating position.

The technology described herein generally relates to systems for extracting polynucleotides from multiple samples, particularly from biological samples, and additionally to systems that subsequently amplify and detect the extracted polynucleotides. The technology more particularly relates to microfluidic systems that carry out PCR on multiple samples of nucleotides of interest within microfluidic channels, and detect those nucleotides. The technology still more particularly relates to automated devices for carrying out pipetting operations, particularly on samples in parallel, consistent with sample preparation and delivery of PCR-ready nucleotide extracts to a cartridge wherein PCR is run.