Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system may include any suitable combination of a sensing gripper unit, a gripper unit with removable gripper fingers, an element or chute arrangement for separating gripper fingers from an object being gripped, and a detection system for detecting the level of objects in a container such as a waste container. The system may be used in a laboratory environment where objects such as specimen containers, caps, and tubes are manipulated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for system for gripping a specimen container are disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of gripper fingers, a processor, and a system for gathering data related to a specimen container. Data related to a specimen container, such as detection of the presence of a specimen container within the gripper, measurement of specimen container dimensions and weight, detection of specimen container contents, specimen tube identification, etc. are gathered. Embodiments provide an improved automated process by simultaneously performing multiple measurements and analytical processes on the specimen container, thereby providing for faster processing of the sample that resides in the specimen container.

Abstract: A laboratory computer network is set forth. The laboratory computer network comprises a plurality of laboratory instrument workstations connected to respective laboratory instruments. Each laboratory instrument workstation is adapted to provide video screen data indicative of the operational status of the respective laboratory instrument. A transmission medium is provided to transmit video screen data from each of the plurality of laboratory instrument workstations. A central server is also provided. The central server is adapted to receive the video screen data from the transmission media. The central server monitors one or more screen sections of the video screen data received from each of the plurality of laboratory instrument workstations and provides an alert in response to a given visual state of the monitored screen sections of each laboratory instrument workstation.

Abstract: A laboratory computer network is set forth. The laboratory computer network comprises a plurality of laboratory instrument workstations connected to respective laboratory instruments. Each laboratory instrument workstation is adapted to provide video screen data indicative of the operational status of the respective laboratory instrument. A transmission medium is provided to transmit video screen data from each of the plurality of laboratory instrument workstations. A central server is also provided. The central server is adapted to receive the video screen data from the transmission media. The central server monitors one or more screen sections of the video screen data received from each of the plurality of laboratory instrument workstations and provides an alert in response to a given visual state of the monitored screen sections of each laboratory instrument workstation.