Systems and methods provide for detection and controlled interaction with one or more objects. The system can include an imaging subsystem (20), a tool subsystem (26) containing one or more tools, a stage subsystem (16) and a control system (40). The control system (40) can integrate controls for each of the other subsystems, which controls can be implement desired functions over a variety of process parameters to perform the controlled interaction.

The invention has an object to provide an automatic analyzer and a control program that can shorten total analysis time. The automatic analyzer comprises: a sample rack that houses a sample; a sample dispensing mechanism that aspirates the sample from the sample rack and dispenses the sample into a reaction container; a plurality of detection units that detect a reaction liquid in the reaction container; and a control unit that controls the sample dispensing mechanism and the detection units. The control unit checks the measurement item specified for the sample and checks one of the detection units that is specified by the measurement item. When measurements specifying the same detection unit among the detection units are specified consecutively, the order of dispensing by the sample dispensing mechanism is changed so that measurements specifying different detection units are made consecutively.

A detection device detects a position of a leading end of a tip for executing an operation on a cell via the leading end, the tip including the leading end in a lower portion thereof. The detection device includes a light source that outputs light in a lateral direction such that the light has a width when viewed along an up-and-down direction, a movement mechanism that moves the tip, and a detector that detects the light output from the light source, wherein the light output from the light source until being detected by the detector includes first light and second light that advance in respective lateral directions that are different from each other, the movement mechanism moves the tip such that a part of the first light and a part of the second light are blocked by the leading end, and the detector detects the first light and the second light whose parts are blocked by the leading end.

To provide a high-throughput automatic analysis apparatus at a lower cost. The automatic analysis apparatus includes an incubator which accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels; a specimen dispensing mechanism which dispenses a specimen into each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a mounting unit which mounts a dispensing tip on the specimen dispensing mechanism; a suction unit which sucks a specimen from a specimen vessel containing the specimen by means of the specimen dispensing mechanism having the dispensing mounted thereon; a discharging unit which is provided in the incubator and discharges the specimen from the specimen dispensing mechanism to the reaction vessel; a disposal unit which discards the dispensing tip; a sensor which detects whether the dispensing tip is mounted to the specimen dispensing mechanism; and a control unit which controls the specimen dispensing mechanism. The mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit are arranged along a movement path of the specimen dispensing mechanism. The sensor is arranged so as to be able to detect the dispensing tip at a position sandwiched between any two of the mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit.

Device (100) for attesting the operations of an in-vitro diagnostic device (50) comprising: a block (101) for capturing a plurality of frames of the tip (51); a block (102) for storing the plurality of frames; a block (103) for evaluating the right hooking of the tip (51) to the in-vitro diagnostic device (50); a block (104) for evaluating the volume of a liquid contained in the tip (51); a block (105) for carrying out verification before the operation of dispensing the liquid; a block (106) for carrying out a post-dispensing verification; blocks (107, 108) for emitting electronic signals; a block (109) for integrating a system for managing the errors; a block (110) for saving the data; a block (111) for communicating with the in-vitro diagnostic device (50).

To provide a high-throughput automatic analysis apparatus at a lower cost. The automatic analysis apparatus includes an incubator which accommodates a plurality of reaction vessels; a specimen dispensing mechanism which dispenses a specimen into each of the plurality of reaction vessels; a mounting unit which mounts a dispensing tip on the specimen dispensing mechanism; a suction unit which sucks a specimen from a specimen vessel containing the specimen by means of the specimen dispensing mechanism having the dispensing mounted thereon; a discharging unit which is provided in the incubator and discharges the specimen from the specimen dispensing mechanism to the reaction vessel; a disposal unit which discards the dispensing tip; a sensor which detects whether the dispensing tip is mounted to the specimen dispensing mechanism; and a control unit which controls the specimen dispensing mechanism. The mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit are arranged along a movement path of the specimen dispensing mechanism. The sensor is arranged so as to be able to detect the dispensing tip at a position sandwiched between any two of the mounting unit, the suction unit, the discharging unit, and the disposal unit.

A feature amount extraction unit outputs, as a data series, a feature amount of time-series data of an oscillation frequency of an AC signal of an oscillation circuit until a certain time elapses from when a dispensing probe starts to be lowered. Then, a bubble contact determination processing unit determines whether a liquid level has been normally detected based on a correlation between a waveform of the data series of the feature amount and an abnormal waveform model. Further, based on a determination result, a second controller determines a deviation between a tip portion of the dispensing probe and the liquid level in a container and a factor of the deviation.

Systems and methods provide for detection and controlled interaction with one or more objects. The system can include an imaging subsystem (20), a tool subsystem (26) containing one or more tools, a stage subsystem (16) and a control system (40). The control system (40) can integrate controls for each of the other subsystems, which controls can be implement desired functions over a variety of process parameters to perform the controlled interaction.

A pipetting system includes: a pipetting device; a pipetting container including a plurality of pipetting positions into each of which the pipetting device pipettes liquid; and a positional relation detector configured to detect a positional relation between a front-end position of a tip and each of the pipetting positions. The pipetting device includes circuitry configured to, when a pipetting switch that orders pipetting is turned on, on condition that the front-end position of the tip detected by the positional relation detector is located at one of pipetting positions that is indicated by a pipetting pattern set up in advance, allow pipetting corresponding to the pipetting pattern, and on condition that the front-end position of the tip detected by the positional relation detector does not correspond to a corresponding one of pipetting positions that is indicated by the pipetting pattern set up in advance, disallow the pipetting.

This dispenser comprises a syringe (52), a piston (56) that moves inside the syringe (52), and a tip-connecting part (51) for connecting the syringe (52) with a tip (53). The tip-connecting part (51) comprises: a first flow channel (61); a second flow channel (62); two grooves (54a) and (54b), which are each provided over the entire circumference of the side surface of the distal end where the tip (53) is to be installed and are mutually separated in the tip (53) insertion direction; and elastic bodies (55a) and (55b), which are respectively provided in the two grooves (54a) and (54b). The first flow channel (61) extends in the movement direction of the piston (56) and passes through the tip-connecting part (51). The second flow channel (62) is separated from the first flow channel (61), and one end is exposed between the two grooves (54a) and (54b).