Abstract: An apparatus powered by batteries may include a first processor and a second processor. The first processor may consume more electrical power than the second processor. The second processor acquires data from one or more sensors. At a predetermined time or other trigger, the second processor activates the first processor that is then used to send the acquired data to an external device. For example, items are stowed on the apparatus that includes weight sensors. The second processor awakens hourly, acquires weight data indicative of the weight of items stowed on the apparatus, and returns to a sleep mode. After 24 hours of acquiring weight data, the second processor activates the first processor to send the accumulated weight data to an external device, such as a server, using a network interface. Power consumption is substantially reduced, allowing the apparatus to operate without external power for extended periods of times.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and articles of manufacture for assaying a sample for an amplification product from a target polynucleotide are provided. An amplification reaction is used to produce the amplification product from the target polynucleotide so that it can be used to indirectly assay the sample for the target polynucleotide. A sample suspected of containing the target polynucleotide is contacted with first and second primers to amplify the target polynucleotide; the first primer comprises a tag sequence, the complement of which is formed on the opposite strand during amplification and is referred to as a capture sequence. That opposite strand is referred to as a second primer extension product or an amplification product, and comprises a label. A capture probe is provided that is conjugated to a substrate and can bind to the capture sequence to form an amplification product detection complex.