Described herein are method of transferring liquid using a robotic liquid handler from a reagent reservoir having a sloped bottom along a length of the reagent reservoir, the sloped bottom defining a shallow end and a deep end of the reagent reservoir, wherein the shallow end is proximal to a first side-wall of the reagent reservoir, wherein the deep end is proximal to a second side-wall of the reagent reservoir opposite the first side-wall.

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.

Devices and methods for the deposition of reagents onto cells or tissue samples are disclosed. Also disclosed are reagent compositions suitable for dispensing via a droplet-on-demand system.

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 fluidic device holder configured to orient a fluidic device. The device holder includes a support structure configured to receive a fluidic device. The support structure includes a base surface that faces in a direction along the Z-axis and is configured to have the fluidic device positioned thereon. The device holder also includes a plurality of reference surfaces facing in respective directions along an XY-plane. The device holder also includes an alignment assembly having an actuator and a movable locator arm that is operatively coupled to the actuator. The locator arm has an engagement end. The actuator moves the locator arm between retracted and biased positions to move the engagement end away from and toward the reference surfaces. The locator arm is configured to hold the fluidic device against the reference surfaces when the locator arm is in the biased position.

A quality control method for a diagnostic analyzer includes performing a quality control test or a plurality of specimen tests; determining, with a controller, that a result of the quality control test or a plurality of specimen test results is outside of a threshold; monitoring one or more mechanical devices of the diagnostic analyzer with the controller; receiving, by the controller, an error code indicating an error in a mechanical device of the one or more mechanical devices; and initiating a calibration procedure in response to the result of the quality control test or the plurality of specimen test results being outside of the threshold and receiving the error code. Other apparatus and methods are disclosed.

A system is disclosed for measuring head framing and tip straightness in a liquid handler. The present system uses a test plate, having an upper surface formed of clay or other impressionable material. The test plate may be placed at a liquid handling station. Pipette tips may then be loaded onto the head, and the head positioned at the station including the test plate. The head may be actuated in the z-direction so that the tips leave an imprint in the upper surface of the test plate. The imprint of the tips on the test plate may then be analyzed using any of a variety of measurement techniques to determine head framing alignment or misalignment.

A soil fractionation system can include a plurality of sample racks propelled by a drive system. Each sample rack can include a sample tube for holding a soil sample and a filter cup for receiving an extracted fraction of the soil sample. An extractor module of the fractionation system can include an extractor assembly and a filter assembly. A control system can control the relative positioning of the plurality of sample racks via the drive system, the relative movement between the extractor assembly and the sample tube, and the relative movement between the filter assembly and the filter cup.

A manual-electronic pipetting device for pipetting a medium. The pipetting device includes a controller, a manually displaceable actuating element, at least one piston for aspirating and discharging the medium, a motor for driving the at least one piston in response to an actuation and/or displacement of the actuating element, at least one sensor for determining a displacement of the actuating element, and a data storage. The controller determines a pipetting protocol based on at least one sensor signal of the at least one sensor during a displacement of the actuating element, the controller further storing the pipetting protocol in the data storage, the pipetting protocol including data records indicative of a position and a speed of the at least one piston during the displacement of the actuating element.

In one example an apparatus can include a controller communicatively coupled to a droplet dispenser to deposit fluid on a digital microfluidic (DMF) array including a plurality of droplet manipulation electrodes, the controller to: select a first droplet manipulation electrode from the plurality of droplet manipulation electrodes to on which to dispense a first volume of fluid via the droplet dispenser; position the droplet dispenser over the selected first droplet manipulation electrode; and deposit the first volume of fluid onto the selected first droplet manipulation electrode.