Abstract: An incubation cassette for reducing liquid evaporation from wells of a microplate with a frame for receiving a microplate with wells, the frame having a central first opening surrounded by an inner wall, the dimensions are designed for inserting a microplate, and the frame having an outer wall that runs essentially parallel to the inner wall and which is attached to the inner wall connects so that a liquid reservoir surrounding the first central opening for receiving a liquid is formed by the two walls and the intermediate base is disclosed. The incubation cassette also includes a float provided in the liquid reservoir that can be brought into fluid contact with the liquid held in the liquid reservoir in such a way that the float is in relation to the liquid level of the liquid in the liquid reservoir absorbed liquid experiences buoyancy.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling at least one of aspirating and of dispensing a liquid dose or of producing a liquid dose in a pipette or in receptacle, the method having the steps of first loading a first pipette with a first working medium at a first pressure having a first sign with respect to a reference pressure, thereby dispensing the liquid dose into the receptacle or aspirating the liquid dose into the first pipette, second loading a second pipette with a second working medium at a second pressure having a second sign with respect to the reference pressure, thereby dispensing the liquid dose into the receptacle or aspirating the liquid dose into the second pipette, discharging a pressure in the first working medium through a controlled valve arrangement to the reference pressure between first and second loadings. A pipetting device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laboratory automation apparatus with a liquid volume measurement functionality comprising a working table, a pipettor comprising a pipetting head with an electrode providing a capacitive sensor with a reference electrode. A robotic arm is configured to move the pipetting head above the working table. A processor is operatively coupled to the robotic arm, to the pipettor and to the electrode by an electronic circuit. A capillary is located on the working table having an opening for receiving a target amount of liquid from the pipettor to form an air-liquid meniscus in the capillary. The robotic arm is configured to hover the electrode over the capillary to detect a change in capacitance related to the position of the meniscus, and the processor is configured to calculate the transferred amount of liquid from the position of the meniscus in the capillary.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to image registration. A rotation angle is determined and subsequently a translation vector. The rotation angle and translation vector together defining an alignment transformation between a first image and a second image. Determining the rotation angle may include iterating over multiple potential rotation angles, and determining alignment.

Abstract: A method for determining states of a laboratory automation device includes: receiving a log file from the laboratory automation device, the log file including entries of events that occurred during a procedure performed by the laboratory automation device, wherein the events have been created by components of the laboratory automation device and each entry includes at least an event time and an event type; providing a state machine of the laboratory automation device, the state machine encoding states of the laboratory automation device and transitions between the states, wherein each transition is starting at a state and points to another state and wherein each transition is associated with an entry scheme in the log file, the entry scheme including at least an event type; setting a current state of the laboratory automation device to a beginning state; moving through the entries of the log file along increasing event time and associating the entries with the current state; during the moving, when an entry s

Abstract: A method for detecting contact of a pipette tip with a surface of a liquid in a pipetting device is disclosed. The method consists of moving the pipette tip in the direction of the surface of the liquid thereby measuring an absolute capacitance between the pipette tip and a reference potential and generating a sampled output signal. A predicted momentary sample value of the output signal is generated based on a plurality of past sample values of the output signal. A contact signal indicative of the pipette tip being in contact with the surface of the liquid is generated based on comparing a momentary sample value of the output signal with the predicted momentary sample value of the output signal. A corresponding pipetting device capable of performing the method as a laboratory system, in particular an automated liquid processing system, with one or more such pipetting devices are proposed.

Abstract: A multichannel pipetting plate comprises a plurality of connectors arranged in a lattice; wherein each connector is fluidically connectable to a pipetting tip; wherein each connector comprises an interface at which a friction contact between the connector and a foot of the pipetting tip is established; wherein the interfaces of the connectors are arranged in different planes, such that, at least at a border region of the pipetting plate, along each row and along each column of the lattice, at least three consecutive interfaces are arranged in at least two different planes.

Abstract: A method for aspirating a first liquid medium of two liquid media of different density from a sample container comprises: calculating a lowering distance, lowering a pipette of the laboratory automation device into the sample container thereby moving a pipette tip of the pipette to the level of the lowering distance from the surface of the first liquid medium in the sample container, aspirating liquid from the sample container during the lowering of the pipette by generating an underpressure in the pipette, wherein the first liquid medium is aspirated, and when the interface and the pipette tip pass each other, the second liquid medium of the two liquid media is aspirated, and detecting the position of the interface using pressure analysis during the lowering of the pipette.

Abstract: A door for a laboratory workstation is disclosed. The laboratory workstation has a horizontally extending work surface for providing a working area. The door is movable in relation to the work surface in a vertical direction perpendicular to the work surface between a safety position, in which the door closes the working area for manual access of a user, an access position in which the working area is open for manual access of a user, and a loading position.

Abstract: A temperature equalizing plate (1) for a micro plate reader (4), onto which temperature equalizing plate (1) a microplate with wells can be removably arranged, the temperature equalizing plate (1) having a plate-shaped body, wherein a first vertical offset is provided between four upward facing corner surfaces (100) and four upward facing edge surfaces (110) and wherein a second vertical offset is provided between the four upward facing edge surfaces (110) and one upward facing center surface (120), resulting in gaps between at least some of the upward facing surfaces (100;110;120) of the temperature equalizing plate (1) and corresponding wells of the thereon arranged microplate.

Abstract: A method of measuring the alignment of one or more pipetting tips in an automated pipetting system where the one or more pipetting tips are mounted on one or more adapters of a pipetting head approximately perpendicular to the pipetting head mounting surface is disclosed. The orifices at the end of the one or more pipetting tips are mapped with an image capture device having a sensor placed in face and distant of the orifices. The method sends the acquired data from mapping the orifices of the one or more pipetting tips to the data processor, generating an image of the orifices of the one or more pipetting tips, determining the center positions of orifices, and delivering alignment information for the one or more pipetting tips.

Abstract: A method for aspirating a first liquid medium of two liquid media of different density from a sample container comprises: lowering a pipette of the laboratory automation device into the sample container until a pipette tip of the pipette has passed a lowering distance from the surface of the first liquid medium in the sample container, wherein the lowering distance is chosen, such that the pipette tip passes at least an aspiration volume in the sample container; aspirating liquid from the sample container during the lowering of the pipette by generating an underpressure in the pipette, wherein the first liquid medium is aspirated, and after the interface and the pipette tip pass each other, the second liquid medium of the two liquid media is aspirated; measuring a pressure in the pipette during the lowering of the pipette and detecting a position of the interface, when a slope of the pressure changes; when the lowering distance has been passed and no interface is detected, aspirating the aspiration volume fro

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a method for tracking lysis progress in an automated lysing device. For example, the lysing device may be configured to execute multiple iterations of lysing at a defined location on the tissue section and imaging the defined location on the tissue section using a camera. From the images a lysing parameter may be determined to improve lysing.

Abstract: A rectangular shaped pipette tip carrier comprising a rectangular shaped top plate, a peripheral wall surrounding the top plate and connecting the top plate to a rectangular skirt vertically distanced from the top plate, a plurality of vertically oriented hollow cylinders defining a matrix of passages through the pipette tip carrier for detachably holding disposable pipette tips, a plurality of ribs connecting the hollow cylinders to another and a plurality of skirt ribs connecting the top surface of the rectangular skirt to the peripheral wall. The carrier further comprises at least one opening in the longitudinal side or the transverse side of the rectangular skirt providing a passage for a protrusion of a packaging or a passage for a protrusion of a spacer configured to be positioned on top of the pipette tip carrier.

Abstract: A frame-shaped rectangular spacer for a pipette tip carrier, configured to be stacked on top of another spacer thereby providing a vertical space between the spacers for carrier. The spacer includes a horizontal base surface, a peripheral side wall which stands essentially perpendicular to the base surface providing two longitudinal sides and two transverse sides connected to the base surface. The peripheral side wall includes an upper surface on an upper rim of the side wall and a lower surface on a lower rim of the side wall, and the upper surface of the peripheral side wall is configured to support the pipette tip carrier. The spacer includes load transfer elements configured to transfer a vertical load directly from one spacer to a subjacent spacer.

Abstract: A packaging for two pipette tip carriers comprising a peripheral side wall with two longitudinal and transverse sides providing a rectangular box with a passage connecting openings on the top and on the bottom of the box surrounded by a top rim vertically spaced apart from a bottom rim. The top rim is configured to support one of the two pipette tip carriers and the bottom rim is configured to support the other one of the two pipette tip carriers. At least one protrusion vertically extends from the top rim and at least one protrusion vertically extends from the bottom rim wherein each protrusion is configured to pass through a complementary passage in the two pipette tip carriers for horizontally positioning the two carriers on the rectangular shaped box with respect to each other.

Abstract: A pipette tip extension having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end is disclosed. The exterior wall has an outer side and an inner side and encloses an inner cavity which is delimited by the inner side of the exterior wall. The exterior wall forms at the proximal end a reception aperture. The pipette tip extension further has one or more distance elements arranged at the inner side of the exterior wall and protruding into the inner cavity.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a method for detaching tissue from a tissue section on a tissue slide. The method may include applying a 3D printed mask on top of the tissue section, the mask comprising barriers that define a cavity surrounding an area of interest on the tissue section, the cavity being open at a side facing the area of interest on the tissue section, dispensing a detaching liquid to the cavity, and allowing the detaching liquid to detach tissue at the area of interest, and aspirating the detaching liquid with the detached tissue from the cavity, and forwarding the liquid for further processing.

Abstract: An incubation cassette is disclosed for reducing liquid evaporation from wells of a microplate. A frame has a central first opening surrounded by an inner wall having dimensions designed for the placement of a microplate therein and an outer wall which extends substantially parallel to the inner wall. The outer wall adjoins the inner wall via an intermediate bottom such that a liquid reservoir is formed thereby. The liquid reservoir surrounds the first central opening. At least a portion of the incubation cassette that forms the liquid reservoir has a transparent portion. A microplate reader has a housing and a transport support which can be pulled out of the housing. The transport support has a bearing surface for placement of a microplate having a plurality of wells or such an incubation cassette, and a controller adapted to control a method for reducing liquid evaporation from wells of the microplate.

Abstract: A method for generating a control program for a laboratory automation device includes receiving configuration data of the laboratory automation device, generating a three-dimensional model of the components of the laboratory automation device from the configuration data, the three-dimensional model additionally including a virtual pipette; displaying the three-dimensional model with a virtual reality headset; receiving movement data of a motion sensing controller controlled by a user wearing the virtual reality headset, the movement data indicating a three-dimensional movement of the motion sensing controller in space; determining a movement of the virtual pipette in the three-dimensional model from the movement data and updating the three-dimensional model according to the movement of the virtual pipette; and generating a control program for the laboratory automation device from the movement data.