Provided herein are automated apparatus for the identification of microorganisms in various samples. The disclosure solves existing challenges encountered in identifying and distinguishing various types of microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria in a timely, efficient, and automated manner by sequencing.

A sample dispensing mechanism configured to dispense a sample and a reagent to the reaction vessel at a first dispensing position and the reaction cell positioned at a second dispensing position; a second reagent vessel disposed on a track of the sample dispensing mechanism; and a control unit configured to control the sample dispensing mechanism, in which the control unit is configured to, based on information on presence or absence of incubation of an analysis item, control the sample dispensing mechanism to dispense a sample and a reagent to the reaction vessel positioned at the first dispensing position in a case where the incubation is not required by the analysis item, and control the sample dispensing mechanism to dispense a sample to the reaction cell positioned at the second dispensing position in a case where the incubation is required by the analysis item.

A medical analysis method uses a medical analysis machine provided with a poly-articulated robot (70) comprising joints defining at least six axes of rotation (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6) and adapted for spacing and/or orienting a terminal member (66) according to six degrees of freedom, the terminal member bearing a grasping member (78) adapted for grasping a container (16). The medical analysis method comprises at least the succession of steps consisting of providing a container (16) containing a sample to be treated stemming from a human being or an animal, transferring said container (16) towards at least one treatment station of the medical analysis machine (100) by means of the poly-articulated robot, treating the sample in a treatment station, transferring the container towards a station for capturing images, and displaying the treatment results through a user interface.

A sample testing system includes a test receptacle support structure, an optical element positioned for transmitting electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected by a sample disposed in a test receptacle supported by the test receptacle support structure, a cleaning member, and an automated transport arm configured to (i) detachably couple the cleaning member, (ii) move the detachably-coupled cleaning member into a position proximate to and/or contacting the optical element, and (iii) decouple the cleaning member.

Disclosed herein is a novel method to fabricate magnetic silica nanomembranes using thin polymer cores based on silica deposition and self-wrinkling induced by thermal shrinkage. These micro- and nano-scale structures have vastly enlarged the specific area of silica, thus the magnetic silica nanomembranes can be used for solid phase extraction of nucleic acids. The magnetic silica nanomembranes are suitable for nucleic acid purification and isolation and demonstrated better performance than commercial particles in terms of nucleic acid recovery yield and integrity. In addition, the magnetic silica nanomembranes may have high nucleic acid capacity due to significantly enlarged specific surface area of silica. Methods of use and devices comprising the magnetic silica nanomembranes are also provided herein.

The invention relates to a measuring system for measuring a sample in an automated analysis machine. The measuring system comprises a measuring device for recording measurement values of a measured variable and a first controller and a second controller for processing the measurement values and a sliding contact system with sliding contacts, wherein the measurement values are transferred from the measuring device to the first controller and wherein the measurement values are transferred from the first controller to the second controller via the sliding contacts. The measuring system comprises an error counter which captures the errors occurring during the transfer of the measurement values from the first controller to the second controller via the sliding contacts.

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

The invention relates to a device and a method for the transfer of a liquid container with the aid of a clamping gripper in an automated analyzer. For this purpose, the clamping gripper has a controllable expansion device.

A diagnostic test system, including: a diagnostic test assembly and a diagnostic test apparatus to perform a test on a biological or environmental sample; the diagnostic test assembly includes: a sample preparation reservoir to receive the sample into a sample preparation fluid, such that a swab carrying the sample can be used to stir the preparation fluid and to wash the swab; a sample dispensing mechanism for insertion into the sample preparation reservoir; a closure to seal the sample preparation reservoir; at least one diagnostic test reservoir coupled to the sample preparation reservoir; and at least one seal between the sample preparation reservoir and the diagnostic test reservoir to prevent fluid movement between the respective reservoirs; wherein the sample dispensing mechanism is operable to disrupt the seal to allow sample fluid to enter the diagnostic test reservoir from the sample preparation reservoir, and to dispense a predetermined amount of fluid.

The invention provides systems and methods for rapid automated identification of microbes and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) directly from a patient specimen, without specimen preparation. Specimens are loaded into an analytical cartridge for processing. Analytical cartridges are preloaded with species-specific labels that are used to identify and enumerate microbes in the specimen. Instruments, such as analyzers can be used to interact with analytical cartridges to carry out methods of the invention all within the cartridge.