A device for performing in situ genetic analyses, conformed so as to be transportable manually by a user, which comprises a casing defining an internal compartment and a plurality of analysis units arranged in the internal compartment, where each analysis unit is configured to perform a respective and independent genetic analysis of at least one sample; each analysis unit comprises a sample holder compartment accessible by the user and adapted to accommodate at least one sample; a command and control unit; at least one sensor selected among an optical, acceleration, temperature, pressure, motion, chemical sensor or a combination thereof, configured to detect a first physical quantity relative to the genetic analysis of the at least one sample and to transduce the first physical quantity into a first signal which is indicative of the state of progress of the genetic analysis, the command and control unit is in signal communication with the at least one sensor for receiving said first signal; the analysis unit further comprises a plurality of instruments, configured to perform the genetic analysis of the sample, comprising an amplification and optical detection device configured to detect at least a second physical quantity relative to the genetic analysis and to transduce the second physical quantity into at least a second signal which is indicative of the outcome of the genetic analysis, the command and control unit is in signal communication with the amplification and optical detection device for receiving said second signal; the device further comprises a processing unit, in signal communication with the command and control unit of each analysis unit for receiving the respective first signals and the respective second signals.

An automatic analyzer for analyzing samples comprising an immersion tube configured to retrieve a reagent stored in a reagent vessel and a lifting device configured to lift and lower the immersion tube. The lifting device comprises a guide rail on which the immersion tube is moveable between a lowered position, in which the immersion tube is immersed into the reagent vessel, and a lifted position, in which the immersion tube is retracted from the reagent vessel, and at least one biasing member configured to bias the immersion tube towards the lowered position with a predetermined biasing force. The analyzer further comprises a detector configured to detect an identity of the reagent, and a locking device configured to lock the immersion tube in the lifted position and so the immersion tube is moved towards the lowered position only if the reagent identity detected by the detector corresponds to a target identity.

Disclosed is a loading machine for slides, provided with biological samples and with an electronically readable identification code, inside a tray divided, by means of separation structures, into multiple compartments, each compartment being adapted to contain one of the slides in an orderly manner. The loading machine includes: a supporting frame structure for resting on a work surface; a linear feeder of the tray with respect to the frame structure; an inserter of the slides into the tray in an orderly and sequential manner; a reader of the identification code provided on each of the slides; and a control unit. The inserter of the slides into the tray includes a unit to temporarily retain each slide and to release it, in coordination with the reader and linear feeder of the tray, into one of the compartments making use of gravity.

Provided are a specimen transport device, a specimen analysis system, a specimen pretreatment system, and a specimen transport method that can reduce human errors as compared with the related art. There are a plurality of magnetic bodies having different inductance characteristics, and a calculation unit calculates inductance characteristic values at a predetermined current value flowing through a magnetic pole detected by a current detection unit and specifies the type of the magnetic body having different inductance characteristics based on the obtained characteristic values to identify a holder.

The present disclosure refers to a method for detecting and reporting an operation error in an in-vitro diagnostic system (1) for determining a sample of a bodily fluid, comprising: providing a plurality of sample vessels (2) each containing a sample of a bodily fluid; and providing a plurality of functional modules (3), comprising an analysis device (4) configured to determine the sample, a handling system (5) configured to handle the plurality of sample vessels (2), and an automation track (6) provided by the handling system (5) and configured to transport the plurality of sample vessels (2) to the analysis device (4). The method further comprises: providing an operation control device (7) connected to at least one of the functional modules (3) and configured to control operation of the at least one functional module (3), and comprising one or more data processors (8), wherein an application software is running on the one or more data processors (8) for controlling operation of the at least one functional module (3); controlling operation of the at least one functional module (3) by the operation control device (7); and detecting and reporting an operation error by an error detecting and reporting device (9), comprising: detecting the operating error for the operation of at least one of the plurality of functional modules (3) and the operation control device (7), providing error data indicative of the operation error, receiving a user input through a user interface (10) after detecting the operation error, providing labelling data in response to receiving the user input, the labelling data being indicative of information related to the operating error in addition to the error data, providing error report data comprising the error data and the labelling data, and transmitting the error report data to an error repository (11) remotely located with respect to both the plurality of functional modules (3) and the operation control device (7); receiving the error report data in a machine learning process running in a data processing device connected to the error repository (11); processing the error report data by the machine learning process in the data processing device; providing a application software update for the application software in response to the processing of the error report data by the machine learning process in the data processing device; providing the application software update to the operation control device (7); and controlling operation of the at least

A system and method for reducing the responsibility of the user significantly by applying an optical system that can identify container like sample tubes with respect to their characteristics, e.g., shapes and inner dimensions, from their visual properties by capturing images from a rack comprising container and processing said images for reliably identifying a container tyle.

A method of reading machine-readable marks on a movable support and object of a sample instrument. The method includes capturing a first image of the moveable support as the moveable support moves from a first position to a second position using an image capture device; determining whether a first fiducial machine-readable mark on the moveable support is in the first image; determining, when the first fiducial machine-readable mark is in the first image, whether a first machine-readable mark on a first object coupled to the moveable support is in the first image at a predetermined position relative to the first fiducial machine-readable mark; and associating information decoded from the first machine-readable mark on the first object with a first location on the moveable support associated with the first fiducial machine-readable mark.

Graphical user interface for managing a workflow of a slide scanning system. In an embodiment, the graphical user interface comprises a graphical representation of a carousel used by the scanning system. The graphical representation of the carousel comprises a graphical representation of each of a plurality of rack slots, configured to receive slide racks. The graphical representation of the carousel indicates a position of the carousel, and the graphical representation of each of the plurality of rack slots indicates a status of the represented rack slot and/or a slide rack within the represented rack slot.

A taxis analysis method for performing taxis analysis of nematodes using a container in which a reference point is provided in the container or a culture medium in the container, the taxis analysis method including steps of: imaging a distribution mode of the nematodes in the container after the nematodes and a specimen of a subject are dropped into the container; detecting a position of an object of the reference point corresponding to the reference point included in the image obtained by imaging; determining an attraction region and a avoidance region on the basis of the position; and executing taxis analysis using objects of the nematodes in the determined attraction region and avoidance region.

A biological analysis system for performing a performing an assay or experiment includes one or more of a carrier, base, or tray. The carrier, base, or tray is/are configured to interchangeably receive (1) a first block and a corresponding first cover placed over the first block or (2) a second block and a corresponding second cover placed over the second block; The system also includes a computer readable memory comprising instructions for detecting when the second cover is placed over the first block and/or for detecting when the first cover is placed over the second block based on lack of electrical continuity along an electrical path comprising one of the blocks and one of the covers.