Abstract: Provided herein are apparatuses and systems for mixing liquids and suspensions that include vessels with structures that improve mixing while not contacting liquid delivery components. The apparatuses and systems can include a motor drive that allows speed and directional control of rotation of the vessel. The apparatuses and systems can include one or more magnets for separating magnetic beads in a suspension. Also provided are methods using said apparatuses and systems for mixing and separation processes.

Abstract: The contents of a two-dimensional array of vessels are mixed by a vortex created by continuous lateral tumbling of a magnetic stir element against the interior side wall of each vessel. The system includes a drive magnet having oppositely polarized sides, and a carousel including receptacles at different heights and at different positions about the carousel's axis of rotation for receiving a plurality of arrays of vessels. The magnet's vertical physical axis is aligned with the carousel's axis of rotation so that the magnet is disposed to one side of each of the receptacles. The magnet provides magnetic flux lines that rotate horizontally through 360 degrees within the received vessels when the magnet is rotated about its vertical physical axis to thereby cause magnetic stir elements in the vessels to continuously tumble laterally against the interior side wall of the vessel and thereby create the vortexes.

Abstract: A device for providing incremental translation in multiple directions, having a base plate (3), a first plate (1), a second plate (2) and means for translation, such as differentially spaced holes (4,5). When the device includes an optional separate applicator (8) with pins (6) for delivering a specimen to a surface (3d), such as a slide, the device can be used in a method for making microarrays.

Abstract: A device for providing incremental translation in multiple directions, having a base plate (3), a first plate (1), a second plate (2) and means for translation, such as differentially spaced holes (4,5). When the device includes an optional separate applicator (8) with pins (6) for delivering a specimen to a surface (3d), such as a slide, the device can be used in a method for making microarrays.

Abstract: A device for providing incremental translation in multiple directions, having a base plate (3), a first plate (1), a second plate (2) and means for translation, such as differentially spaced holes (4,5). When the device includes an optional separate applicator (8) with pins (6) for delivering a specimen to a surface (3d), such as a slide, the device can be used in a method for making microarrays.

Abstract: The contents of a vessel are mixed while the contents are being removed from the vessel. A bubble-paddle tumble stirrer having at least one linear array of rounded-edge blades is disposed horizontally in the vessel for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the array. The vessel contour defines openings at nodes between the blades for enabling the mixed vessel contents to be removed from within the openings by use of pipettes inserted into the openings. The openings extend to the bottom of the vessel. The vessel contour also defines a protrusion that closely matches the edge profile of the linear array of blades for defining a narrow duct when the edges of the blades rotate adjacent the matching vessel protrusion to thereby enhance turbulence in the vessel contents as the stirrer is being rotated.

Abstract: The invention provides a simple method, devices and several machines for simultaneously stirring and aerating thousands of vessels or wells of microplates in a robust manner and with economy. This method uses the simple principle of magnetic stirrers being levitated vertically when passed laterally or vertically through a strong horizontal dipole magnetic field. The dipole magnetic fields may be produced by using permanent magnets, electromagnets or a modulating/reversing electro-magnetic field. Each vessel contains a magnetic ball, disc, bar, dowel or other shape (stirrers) which in their magnetic attraction to the dipole magnetic field will cause the stirrers to levitate up in the vessel as the stirrer's magnetic poles attempt to align with the center of the dipole's magnetic field. The stirrers will fall to the bottom of the vessel by gravity or by changing the relative position of the levitating magnetic field to pull them down, or by passing the vessel laterally over another magnetic field.

Abstract: The invention provides a simple method, device and several machines for simultaneously stirring thousands of vessels or wells of microplates in a robust manner and with economy. This method uses the simple principle of magnetic stirrers aligning themselves to a vertical driving magnetic field placed beneath them and moving laterally or by moving the vessels over a stationary magnetic field or by spinning the drive magnets, or by using a modulating/reversing electromagnetic field to produce the moving effect. Each vessel contains a magnetic disc, bar, dowel or other shape (stirrers) which in it's magnetic attraction to the vertical driving magnetic field will cause it to move and align it's magnetic field as the opposite poles of the drive magnet and the stirrer attract each other. The attraction of the stirrers to the vertical driving magnetic field causes the stirrers to stand on end and tumble as the stir devices try to align to the opposite moving magnetic pole.