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 pipette includes an end section, a first section, a second section and a third section aligned along a central axis of the pipette tip. The end section comprises an orifice for aspirating and dispensing a fluid. A first kink is formed in an inner surface of the pipette tip between the first section and the second section, such that an angle between the inner surface of the first section and the central axis is smaller than an angle between the inner surface of the second section and the central axis. A second kink is formed in the inner surface of the pipette tip between the second section and the third section, such that the angle between the inner surface of the second section and the central axis is smaller than an angle between the inner surface of the third section and the central axis.

Abstract: A pipetting apparatus having a pipette tube with a first end provided with an opening for aspirating and/or dispensing of a sample fluid and a second end operationally connected to a pressure generating means. The pipetting apparatus has at least one measuring unit adapted to determine at least one measurement value of the sample fluid based on the aspirating and/or dispensing of the sample fluid and to provide a sample fluid measurement signal representative thereof to an output of the measuring unit. The pipetting apparatus also has a control circuit operationally coupled to the output of the measuring unit and the input of the pressure generating means, the control circuit is configured to control said pressure generating device based on the sample fluid measurement signal.

Abstract: A cartridge for use in an electrowetting sample processing system, the cartridge having at least one inlet port for introducing an input liquid in an internal gap of the cartridge, wherein the gap has at least one hydrophobic surface and is configured to provide an electrowetting induced movement of a microfluidic droplet of input liquid, wherein the input liquid has a carrier liquid and a processing liquid and the gap has a capture zone that is configured to capture at least a part of the processing liquid as a microfluidic droplet by use of electrowetting force and the gap further has a transfer zone that is configured to provide a passage for the carrier liquid next to the microfluidic droplet, while processing liquid is captured in the capture zone.

Abstract: A liquid droplet manipulation system has a substrate with at least one electrode array and a central control unit for controlling selection of individual electrodes of the electrode array and for providing the electrodes with individual voltage pulses for manipulating liquid droplets by electrowetting. A working film is placed on top of the electrodes for manipulating samples in liquid droplets with the electrode array. At least one selected individual electrode of the electrode array is configured to be penetrated by light of an optical detection system for the optical inspection or analysis of samples in liquid droplets that are located on the working film. Also disclosed is working film that is to be placed on the electrode array and a cartridge that includes such a working film for manipulating samples in liquid droplets.

Abstract: A cover for a fluid container having an essentially plane cover plate for closing at least one opening of at least one fluid container and at least two ports, and each port has a through channel extending through the entire thickness of the cover plate and a fluid impermeable first membrane is arranged over the entire cross section of the through channel of the first port and an at least gas permeable second membrane is arranged over the entire cross section of the through channel of the second port is disclosed.

Abstract: A rotary valve includes a stator member with a planar stator face, the stator member having a plurality of stator channels for conducting a fluid; and a rotor member with a planar rotor face facing and in contact with the stator face, the rotor member having a rotor channel; wherein the rotor member is rotatable with respect to the stator member about a rotation axis, such that in a conducting position, the rotor channel interconnects two of the stator channels and the two stator channels are in fluid communication; wherein at least one of the stator channels has a transverse channel section opening into the stator face and running transversely with respect to the rotation axis; wherein the rotor channel has a bottom, which at an intersection end of the rotor channel is inclined with respect to the rotation axis, such that the rotor channel elongates an inner surface of the stator channel, when the rotor member is in the conducting position.

Abstract: A device for controlling an optical recognition unit with the help of a capacitive filling level measurement in liquid containers having a sensor with a measuring electrode, a conductive base plate suitable for arranging at least one liquid container or a carrier unit having at least one receptacle for receiving a liquid container, a sensor electronics unit that is connected to the measuring electrode and the base plate adapted to determine a capacitance between the measuring electrode and base plate, an evaluation unit, and a control unit for controlling the optical recognition unit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A microplate processing device having at least one carriage with a first receptacle for microplates where the at least one carriage is movable in a first horizontal direction, and having at least one lift that is movable in a vertical direction, where the microplates can be removed from and supplied to the carriage, the carriage has a through-opening, the periphery, in the vertical projection, can at least in part be situated horizontally within the periphery of a microplate held in the carriage, and the lift has a second receptacle for microplates, the periphery, in the vertical projection, is situated within the periphery of the through-opening, where the second receptacle can be moved unhindered through the through-opening in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A pipetting apparatus and method capable of detecting a liquid within an intermediate section of a pipette tube of the pipetting apparatus. The intermediate section is located between an upper section of the pipette tube at which a first electrode is arranged and a lower section at which a second electrode is arranged. The first and second electrodes form a measurement capacitor and are operationally connected to an impedance measurement unit, which is adapted to detect whether liquid, such as a portion of a sample liquid or system liquid, is present within the intermediate section based on the measured impedance or change of impedance, e.g. an increase of the capacitance and/or a decrease of the resistance, of the measurement capacitor caused by a presence of the liquid within the intermediate section.

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 system 100 and method are provided for imaging a sample in a sample holder. For providing autofocus, a 2D pattern is projected onto the sample holder 050 via an astigmatic optical element 120. Image data 172 of the sample is acquired by an image sensor 140 via magnification optics 150. A difference in sharpness of the two-dimensional pattern in the image data is measured along a first axis and a second axis. Based on the difference, a magnitude and direction of defocus of the camera subsystem is determined with respect to the sample holder. This enables the sample holder, and thereby the sample, to be brought into focus in a fast and reliable manner.

Abstract: A displacement device for displacing a displacement volume is disclosed. The device has a first fluid space and a second fluid space. A first piston is arranged in a movable manner within the first fluid space. The first fluid space is connectable to a pipetting device. The first piston is actuatable by an actuation volume of air or of liquid provided by the pipetting device. A second piston is arranged in a movable manner within the second fluid space. The second piston is constructed to displace a displacement volume of a fluid located within the second fluid space when the second piston is actuated. The second piston is actuated in dependence on the first piston that is actuated by the actuation volume. The actuation volume is different from the displacement volume, and a pipetting system has a displacement device and a method of displacing a displacement volume.

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 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: A receiving frame for a support plate for pipette tips that is formed from two opposing longitudinal walls and two opposing transverse walls, each has an upper side and a lower side and laterally enclose an interior space is disclosed. The upper sides of the longitudinal walls and transverse walls together form a circumferential support surface on which a support plate for pipette tips can be reversibly placed. The receiving frame has a footprint on the lower side of the longitudinal walls and the transverse walls.

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: Devices and corresponding methods for capacitive foam detection in liquid containers are disclosed. The device has a sensor with a measurement electrode having a plurality of sub-electrodes, a bottom plate that is used as a counter electrode for arranging a liquid container, a sensor electronic unit that is connected to the measurement electrode and the bottom plate and is adapted to determine an impedance, in particular a capacitance, between the measurement electrode and the bottom plate, and an evaluation unit, the measurement electrode being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the bottom plate.

Abstract: The present invention defines a positioning assembly including a base part (110) and a holder part (120) for holding a device, whereby the assembly further includes a motor (160) for driving a displacement mechanism (150) mounted to the base part. The base part and the holder part are arranged parallel to each other and are connected via a displaceable slide link (140), which is configured to slide on a first guide rail (111) provided on the base part and on a second guide rail (122) provided on the holder part, whereby each guide rail extends in longitudinal direction (z). The slide link (140) is coupled to the displacement mechanism (150), which causes displacement of the slide link relative to the base part in longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the holder part (120) is moveably coupled to the base part (110) via a coupling arrangement which has a first element (115) provided on the base part, a second element (125) provided on the holder part and a third element provided on the slide link (140).

Abstract: A robotic arm of an automated pipetting system has a pipetting tip adapter and a slide switch to detect the presence of pipetting tips on the pipetting tip adapter is disclosed. The slide switch has first support member and second support member configured to slide relative to one another between first and second positions along a movement axis, an electrically conducting contact pad arranged on the first support member, an electrically conducting terminal physically attached to second support member in physical contact with the contact pad when support members are in first position, where the terminal is a first resilient and inherently stable wiping member expanding along the movement axis, first wiping member is not in physical contact with the contact pad when support members are in second position, and an electric current can flow between first wiping member and the contact pad when support members are in first position.