A laboratory system for a laboratory automation system is presented. The laboratory system comprises a sample container carrier. The sample container carrier is configured to carry a laboratory sample container and comprises a removal detector. The removal detector is configured to interact with the laboratory sample container to detect a removal of the carried laboratory sample container from the sample container carrier. Furthermore, the laboratory system is configured to determine based on the detected removal that a before valid logic assignment of the sample container carrier to the carried laboratory sample container is invalid.

Disclosed are high-throughput vessel supply systems and methods of supplying sample vessels, such as samples stored in test tubes. A system for supplying a plurality of individual vessels that each contains a sample is disclosed.

Disclosed are high-throughput vessel sorting systems and methods of sorting sample vessels, such as samples stored in test tubes. A system for sorting a plurality of individual vessels that each contains a sample is disclosed.

An automatic sample injection device is provided with a vial placement unit (2) configured to place a vial (10) thereon, a sampler (6) provided at a position different from a position of the vial placement unit (2), the sampler being configured to collect a liquid from the vial (10), a conveyance unit (4) provided with a gripper (14) for gripping the vial (10) from above, the conveyance unit being configured to convey the vial (10) between the vial placement unit (2) and the sampler (6), a target position setting unit (22) configured to execute a teaching mode for setting a target position at which the gripper (14) is to be placed when placing the vial (10) at a predetermined position, cause a user to perform positioning of the gripper (14) to a position to be the target position in the teaching mode, and set a position of the gripper (14) positioned by the user as the target position, and a control unit (20) configured to position the gripper (14) at the target position set by the target position setting unit (22) when placing the vial (10) at the predetermined position. The target position setting unit (22) is configured to execute, in the teaching mode, an auxiliary operation for visually assisting positioning of the gripper by the user when causing the user to perform positioning of the gripper (14) to a position to be the target position.

Systems and methods for analysis of a whole blood sample from an individual to determine the platelet function and coagulation status of the individual in a substantially automated and efficient matter. Also provided here are systems, reagent kits, and methods for concurrent assessment of platelet function and coagulation as they interact during hemostasis.

The automatic analyzer includes a light source 4a to perform measurement, a spectrophotometer 4, a reagent disk 9 to store a reagent bottle 10 in which the reagent is stored, a carriage device to carry the reagent bottle 10 to the reagent disk 9, a reagent preparation unit to perform preparatory operations required before the regent bottle 10 is used, and a control unit 21 to schedule the preparatory operations by the reagent preparation unit and the carriage operation by the carriage device such that the reagent bottle 10 is carried to the reagent disk 9 immediately after an operation accompanied with analysis by the light source 4a and the spectrophotometer 4 is suspended or ends.

The specimen conveyance device and method can easily specify, regardless of the size of the system, the position on the device of the specimen tube whose position is desired to be grasped and the position on the device of the device part whose position is desired to be grasped. A specimen conveyance unit 10 includes a plurality of conveyance blocks 1, each of which includes one or more light emitting bodies 3 and conveys a specimen tube holder 6 that holds a specimen tube 5 storing a specimen, and a control unit 4 for controlling the conveyance operation of the specimen tube holder 6 by the conveyance block 1, in which the control unit 4 causes the light emitting body 3 of a specific conveyance block 1 among the conveyance blocks 1 to emit light in accordance with the conveyance state of the specimen tube holder 6.

A gripping device for handling sample containers is presented. The sample containers are closed by caps of a given cap type or are not closed by caps. The gripping device comprises a number of fingers configured to collectively cause gripping of a sample container, a tactile sensor device arranged at at least one of the fingers and configured to sample a longitudinal profile of the sample container and of the cap, if any, being gripped, and a control device coupled to the tactile sensor device. The control device determines if the sample container is closed by a cap or not closed by a cap based on the sampled longitudinal profile.

The present invention is directed to a system and method for load balancing specimen containers between a plurality of automated detection apparatuses. The method may include receiving a specimen container at a container pick-up station in a first automated detection apparatus; determining loading ability, transfer status, and cell availability of the first automated detection apparatus and one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses; and transferring the specimen container from the first automated detection apparatus to a downstream automated detection apparatus when a first ratio of effective available cell count to effective capacity in the first automated detection apparatus is less than a second ratio of total effective available cell count to total effective capacity of a sum of the first automated detection apparatus and the one or more downstream automated detection apparatuses.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable specimen carrier device with which it is possible to position a specimen holder in a specific place with high accuracy, thereby enabling the stable performance of a treatment. In order to achieve this purpose, the present invention provides a specimen carrier device that is equipped with: a specimen holder which retains a specimen container and which is equipped with a magnetic body; and a first positioning means which is disposed beneath a carrier surface and which conveys and stops the specimen holder by attracting and repelling the magnetic body, wherein a second positioning means for pressing the specimen holder or the specimen container is provided on the carrier surface.