Abstract: This disclosure relates to a magnetic mixing apparatus that mixes a sample contained in a mixing chamber using a stir bar, while minimizing the amount of contact between the stir bar and walls of the mixing chamber. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a ferromagnetic stir bar contained in the mixing chamber, and a driving magnet and a driven magnet located on opposite sides of the mixing chamber. The driving magnet, the driven magnet, and the ferromagnetic stir bar are each capable of rotating about a respective axis. The driving magnet, the driven magnet, and the ferromagnetic stir bar are magnetically coupled such that rotation of the driving magnet induces rotation of the driven magnet and rotation of the driving magnet and the driven magnet induce rotation of the ferromagnetic stir bar. In some embodiments, rotation of the ferromagnetic stir bar within the mixing chamber mixes the sample contained within the mixing chamber.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a magnetic mixing apparatus that mixes a sample contained in a mixing chamber using a stir bar, while minimizing the amount of contact between the stir bar and walls of the mixing chamber. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a ferromagnetic stir bar contained in the mixing chamber, and a driving magnet and a driven magnet located on opposite sides of the mixing chamber. The driving magnet, the driven magnet, and the ferromagnetic stir bar are each capable of rotating about a respective axis. The driving magnet, the driven magnet, and the ferromagnetic stir bar are magnetically coupled such that rotation of the driving magnet induces rotation of the driven magnet and rotation of the driving magnet and the driven magnet induce rotation of the ferromagnetic stir bar. In some embodiments, rotation of the ferromagnetic stir bar within the mixing chamber mixes the sample contained within the mixing chamber.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a magnetic mixing apparatus that mixes a sample contained in a mixing chamber using a stir bar, while minimizing the amount of contact between the stir bar and walls of the mixing chamber. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a ferromagnetic stir bar contained in the mixing chamber, and a driving magnet and a driven magnet located on opposite sides of the mixing chamber. The driving magnet, the driven magnet, and the ferromagnetic stir bar are each capable of rotating about a respective axis. The driving magnet, the driven magnet, and the ferromagnetic stir bar are magnetically coupled such that rotation of the driving magnet induces rotation of the driven magnet and rotation of the driving magnet and the driven magnet induce rotation of the ferromagnetic stir bar. In some embodiments, rotation of the ferromagnetic stir bar within the mixing chamber mixes the sample contained within the mixing chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and methods for determining the boundaries of arbitrarily shaped regions on a computer display system having a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU is coupled to a display having a plurality of selectively enabled and disabled display elements arranged in a matrix, whereby each display element is identified by a unique X,Y address. A memory coupled to the CPU includes a plurality of memory cells, wherein the cells correspond to a display element on the display. An initial X,Y address is selected on the display by a user employing a cursor control to identify an area on the display where the boundaries of a region are to be determined. The initial X,Y address selected by the user is defined as a seed cell.