A method for pre-scanning a transparent cell culture plate with a plurality of wells to improve focus using a plurality of z-axis images and a method for focusing an optical system on a transparent cell culture plate by performing a Fourier transform on image data at different focus distance steps to reveal a pattern and using the pattern at each step to determine the focus distance.

The present teachings relate to a method and system for normalizing spectra across multiple instruments. In an embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises at least one reference instrument and a test instrument. Each instrument comprises at least one excitation filter and at least one emission filter arranged in pairs. Each instrument further comprises a pure dye plate comprising a plurality of wells. Each well contains a plurality of dyes where each dye comprises a fluorescent component. Fluorescent spectra are obtained from each instrument for each dye across multiple filter combinations to contribute to a pure dye matrix Mref for the reference instrument and pure dye matrix M for the test instrument. The pure dye spectra can then be multiplied by correction factors for each filter pair to result in corrected pure dye spectra, then normalized and the multicomponenting data can be extracted.

A suspension of a contaminant comprising at least one solid component and colored with at least one cationic dye is prepared. The suspension is injected through a sample of the porous medium and the sample is then split. A distribution and a profile of the contaminant in the sample is determined on the basis of a distribution and an intensity of the at least one cationic dye.

The present invention provides for a release system for delaying application of chemical reagents in a lateral-flow immunoassay. A chemistry release fiber comprising a permeable membrane and a chemical release agent is used to delay chemical reagent delivery to the indicator of a lateral-flow immunoassay. Also disclosed is the related method of delaying application of chemical reagents in a lateral-flow immunoassay.

Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.

An inspection device includes: an illumination device that irradiates an object with near infrared light; a spectroscope that disperses reflected light from the object irradiated with the near infrared light; an imaging device that takes a spectroscopic image of the reflected light dispersed by the spectroscope; and a processor. The processor: obtains spectral data at a plurality of points on the object based on the spectroscopic image obtained by the imaging device; selects, as typical spectral data representing the object from among the spectral data at the plurality of points, one of: spectral data in which a luminance value in a predetermined wavelength is a median value; and spectral data in which a summation of luminance values in a predetermined wavelength range is a median value; and performs a predetermined analysis for the object based on the typical spectral data and detects a different type of object.

The method of analyzing one or more samples arranged in sample receptacles of a platform that is configured to receive a plurality of separate samples includes the steps of measuring electromagnetic radiation transmitted or emitted by each sample, repeating the measurement a plurality of times at predetermined intervals, on the basis of each measurement, forming a result matrix comprising a plurality of cells, each cell of the result matrix corresponding to a sample receptacle of the plat-form, wherein a measurement value of each sample is used as an input for determining the visual properties of the respective cell in the result matrix, and displaying the results as consecutive matrixes in respect of time.

A method for handling harvested root crops such as potatoes. The method includes the steps of optically imaging (i.e., by the hyper-spectral imaging system) a bulk flow of a harvested root crop to produce image data and analysing the image data to identify discrete objects within the bulk flow. Each identified object is categorised as either acceptable or unacceptable based on a comparison with at least one discriminator and objects classified as unacceptable are removed (by the ejector actuator) from the bulk flow to provide a sorted flow of the harvested root crop.

A method for imaging a sample using a fluorescence microscope with stimulated emission depletion includes controlling the fluorescence microscope and an imaging process of the fluorescence microscope by a microscope controller. An overview image of a target region is generated with a second spatial resolution prior to the imaging process, the second spatial resolution being lower than a first spatial resolution used for scanning sample segments in the imaging process and higher than a third spatial resolution that has been adapted to an extent of an excitation light distribution. The overview image is analyzed to identify image regions without relevant image information. A radiant flux of the depletion light distribution is reduced within a scope of the imaging process when scanning sample segments which are assigned to the image regions without relevant image information.

The present invention is a cuvette assembly for use in optically measuring at least one characteristic of particles within a plurality of liquid samples. The cuvette assembly includes a unitary body made of a single type of transparent material. The unitary body includes a plurality of optical chambers for receiving the liquid sample, an entry side wall for allowing transmission of an input light beam into the respective liquid sample, and an exit side wall for transmitting a forward scatter signal caused by the particles within the respective liquid sample. Each of the plurality of optical chambers is separated by internal walls of the unitary body.