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 combinable cavity tray for liquid handling is provided. The combinable cavity tray has at least one cavity for receiving a fluid and at least one passage for leading through a cavity of a second combinable cavity tray and/or for connecting to a pipetting apparatus. The at least one cavity of the combinable cavity tray is formed integrally. An assembly of combinable cavity trays having at least two combinable cavity trays, a method of manufacturing a combinable cavity tray and the use of a combinable cavity tray or of an assembly of combinable cavity trays for liquid handling are provided.

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 method for aspirating a first liquid medium from a sample container with a laboratory automation device, wherein the first liquid medium is above a second liquid medium, which has a higher density and/or viscosity as the first liquid medium comprises: detecting a surface position of a surface of the first liquid medium; calculating an estimated interface position of an interface between the first liquid medium and the second liquid medium from the surface position and calculating a safety position between the surface position and the estimated interface position by adding a safety offset to the estimated interface position; and lowering a pipette of the laboratory automation device into the sample container and aspirating the first liquid medium from the sample container with the pipette by generating an underpressure in the pipette until a pipette tip of the pipette reaches the safety position.

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 digital microfluidics system with electrodes attached to a substrate and covered by a hydrophobic surface and a control unit for manipulating liquid droplets by electrowetting, providing in close proximity to electrodes a magnetic conduit for directing a magnetic field of a backing magnet to the first hydrophobic surface, providing on the hydrophobic surface a liquid droplet that has magnetically responsive beads moving by electrowetting the liquid droplet with the magnetically responsive beads until a part of which is placed atop of the magnetic conduit, actuating the backing magnet of the magnetic conduit and attracting/concentrating magnetically responsive beads while actuating the backing magnet, moving by electrowetting the liquid droplet with decreased number of magnetically responsive beads away from the specific magnetic conduit.

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.

Abstract: A rotary valve comprises a stator member with a stator face, the stator member having at least two stator channels for conducting a fluid and opening into the stator face; a rotor member with a rotor face facing and in contact with the stator face, the rotor member having a rotor channel in the rotor face, 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 the at least two stator channels to be in fluid communication; and a rotary encoder assembly adapted for determining a rotary position of the rotor member, the rotary encoder assembly comprising an encoder member and an encoder module, which is adapted to sense a rotary position of the encoder member. The encoder member is rigidly connected to the rotor member and surrounds the rotor member.

Abstract: A pipette tip extension attachable to a pipette tip with the pipette tip extension having a proximal end, a distal end, and exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end is disclosed. The exterior wall having an outer side and inner side and forming at the proximal end a reception aperture for inserting a pipette tip, and at a distal end a dispense aperture. An inner cavity is enclosed by the inner side of the exterior wall and one or more distance elements connected to the inner side of the exterior wall. The distance element(s) being configured to position a pipette tip within the inner cavity and to establish fluid uptake area adjacent the inner side of the exterior wall with the fluid uptake area extending from the dispense aperture towards the reception aperture and being in fluid connection with the surrounding atmosphere at the reception aperture.

Abstract: A method for generating a control program (54) for a laboratory automation device (12) comprises: receiving configuration data (46) of the laboratory automation device (12), the configuration data (46) encoding positions of components (22) in the laboratory automation device (12); generating a three-dimensional model (58) of the components (22) of the laboratory automation device (12) from the configuration data (46), the three-dimensional model (22) additionally including a virtual pipette (60); displaying the three-dimensional model (58) with a virtual reality headset (14); receiving movement data (50) of a motion sensing controller (16) controlled by a user wearing the virtual reality headset (14), the movement data (50) indicating a three-dimensional movement of the motion sensing controller (16) in space; determining a movement of the virtual pipette (60) from the movement data (50) in the three-dimensional model (58) and updating the three-dimensional model (58) according to the movement of the virtual

Abstract: A position detector for generating 3D position information of an object in a position determination space for the object. The position detector has a camera with a lens and an image sensor that defines an imaging area with one first light deflecting element arranged in the imaging area as the camera and the at least one light deflecting element are adapted to simultaneously produce on the image sensor at least two images of the position determination space, a first image being produced by light beams deflected at the first light deflecting element, the at least two images differ with respect to the viewing direction of the position determination space.

Abstract: A laboratory automation device comprises a workspace with liquid containers and a pipetting arm for moving liquids between the liquid containers; a housing enclosing the workspace; a door of the housing for accessing the workspace, wherein the door comprises a transparent display for displaying information and for allowing a person to view into the workspace and a tracking sensor for tracking an eye position of the person. The laboratory automation device is adapted for determining the eye position of the person from sensor data acquired with the tracking sensor; and for displaying information for a notification area in the workspace on the transparent display, such that the information is displayed from a perspective of the person in front of the notification area.

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 cartridge, in particular a disposable cartridge, for use in an electrowetting sample processing system. The cartridge contains an internal gap with at least one hydrophobic surface for enabling an electrowetting induced movement of a microfluidic droplet that has magnetic beads and further has a bead accumulation zone, into which the microfluidic droplet is transferable by electrowetting force and the magnetic beads are exposable to a magnetic force of a bead manipulation magnet. The internal gap has a bead extraction opening adjacent to the bead accumulation zone. The bead extraction opening provides a passage from the gap to an exterior space of the cartridge and is configured to removably receive the bead manipulation magnet for enabling an extraction of the magnetic beads from the microfluidic droplet by a removal of the bead manipulation magnet.

Abstract: A centrifugal processing unit for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge, the centrifugal processing unit having a rotor at least one accommodation for receiving the sample processing cartridge, and a rotor drive for rotating the at least one rotor about a respective rotor axis to create the centrifugal force. The centrifugal processing unit has a blocking element allowing the free pivoting motion of the at least one accommodation in a release position when the rotor is rotated in a first direction and preventing the free pivoting motion in a blocking position, when the rotor is rotated in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A laboratory automation device (10) includes a plurality of device components (14, 16), which are controlled by digital control commands (26). The digital control commands (26) are generated by a controller (20) of the laboratory automation device (10) from assay definition data (38) defining an assay procedure for the laboratory automation device (10).

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.