Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for spotting a biological probe onto an array. A micropipette containing a quantity of the biological probe in solution is manipulated to a position above a selected location within the array. The micropipette is pressurized sufficiently to produce a droplet of the biological probe at an open tip of the micropipette. Formation of the droplet is simultaneously visually monitored during the pressurization of the micropipette in order to estimate a volume measurement of the droplet. Upon reaching a predetermined volume for the droplet, the pressurizing of the micropipette is discontinued. The droplet of the predetermined volume is then dispensed onto the selected location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dispensing immobilized reactants onto substrates for use in generating a biological assay plate for detecting the presence of mobile reactants that bind to the immobilized reactants. The apparatus includes a dispensing bed that holds a plurality of substrates. Each potential immobilized reactant is held in a cartridge. The apparatus includes a holder that allows any of these cartridges to be used in dispensing an immobilized reactant. The apparatus includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the cartridges over each of the substrates. The positioning mechanism also allows a cartridge so positioned to be brought into contact with each of the substrates at a predetermined location on each of the substrates so as to dispense a known quantity of the immobilized reactant onto the substrate at that location.

Abstract: A binary locally-initializing incremental position encoder (112) for determining the position of an object, i.e. a robot arm (102). The inventive position encoder (112) is adapted to be coupled to the object (102) and includes first, second, third and fourth gears (129, 130, 131 and 132, respectively). The gears are such that the positions thereof, representing the positions or states of the object, repeat at binary intervals. That is, the first gear (129) has a first number of teeth N.sub.1 and the second gear (130) has a second number of teeth N.sub.2. The second gear (130) is driven by the first gear (129) from a first position to a second position. The third gear (131) is mechanically coupled to and coaxial with the second gear (130). The third gear (131) has a third number of teeth N.sub.3 and is adapted for rotation in direct angular proportion to any rotation of the second gear (130). The fourth gear (132) has a fourth number of teeth N.sub.4 and is driven by the third gear (131).

Abstract: A separation capillary in a capillary electrophoresis apparatus is less than 20 microns high to restrict the flow velocity profile of the EOF to being substantially parabolic. The capillary is preferably rectangular with an aspect ratio of at least 2:1, and preferably at least 10:1, in order to increase bulk flow. Hydrostatic back pressure is applied to the capillary to reduce or cancel the EOF. The back pressure is preferably at least 50% as strong as the forward-directed EOF in order to reduce EOF, and thereby to increase resolution.

Abstract: In a correlated two-dimensional gas chromatography system, it is necessary to "pair" peaks from one chromatogram with respective peaks of another chromatogram. Both peaks of a pair should correspond to the same sample component. The present invention provides for confirmation/disconfirmation of pairs that may be speculative or arbitrary. A hybrid chromatographic column is designed so that the retention time of a sample component is the average of the retention times of that component in the two independent columns. Thus, a peak location in the hybrid chromatogram can be calculated for each pair of peaks. The absence of a peak at that location or the inconsistency of the area of a peak at that location disconfirms the pairing. The invention also provides for higher dimensional systems and for other separation technologies.

Abstract: Methods of programming mechanical manipulators are disclosed that permit a mechanical manipulator to be programmed to perform coordinated motions between one or more modules comprised of equipment with which the manipulator will interact by defining an origin point and one or more frame points related to each of the modules relative to the origin point. Each of the modules associated with a frame point is then identified and a module program describing pre-programmed manipulator motions related to each of the modules is accessed. Finally, a sequence of motions between the origin and each of the frame points of the modules is defined. The step of locating frame points can be carried out in several different ways, using a teach pendant or by automatically locating the module frame points using an infrared sensor, electric field sensor, acoustic sensor, or force sensor.

Abstract: A microminiature valve includes a crystalline substrate having a flow via and a raised valve seat structure. The valve seat structure has a planar bearing surface. The inner edge of the bearing surface defines an orifice to the flow via. The flow via has a varying cross sectional area and is narrowest at the orifice. From both the inner and outer edges of the bearing surface, parallel sloped walls along {111} planes are formed by an anisotropic etch. The microminiature valve has a high ratio of the area of the flow via at the orifice to the area within the outer edges of the valve seat structure.

Abstract: A capillary electrophoresis system utilizes a square "ring" capillary. The capillary has a hair-pin bend at each corner of the square. An opening in each bend permits fluid and electrical coupling with a respective electrolyte-containing vial. A distributor selectively routes the opposite terminals of a power supply to opposing corners of the square so that a sample component of interest migrates continuously downstream. A detector determines when the sample component traverses a detection point along the capillary. This detection is used to determine a migration rate for the sample component. When the sample component is estimated to be midway between corners, the distributor switches from applying a voltage differential between a second upstream corner and the downstream corner to applying a voltage differential between the upstream corner and the second downstream corner. This permits the sample component to migrate downstream past the downstream corner.

Abstract: An Electrophoresis Capillary with Dispersion-Inhibiting Cross-Section for providing unprecedented levels of detection sensitivity of solutes in a separation column is disclosed. The higher level of sensitivity is accomplished by utilizing larger sample volumes contained in capillaries having non-circular cross-sections. The present invention avoids the unwanted turbulence, viscosity gradients, and gravity siphoning that plague previous conventional devices that employ circular capillaries having equivalent cross-sectional areas. The key to the enhanced performance that is achieved using the present invention is a novel non-circular capillary which has a cross-sectional configuration that maximizes the central area of the capillary without creating the conditions that cause uneven flow through the capillary. The capillary portrayed in FIG. 3(a) has a generally oblong cross-section.

Abstract: A robotic camera dolly system includes a motorized dolly which rolls freely across a studio floor under computer control, the dolly carrying a camera. Targets are provided on the floor at various locations from which camera shots are to be taken. The dolly is moved from one target to the vicinity of another target according to a learned sequence of movements controlled by a remote dolly computer. The learned sequence of movements is taught with the aid of a joystick, and the motions are replayed based on dead reckoning. In order to correct translational and angular errors in the position of the dolly at the destination target, optosensors are provided on the dolly for use in detecting and reorienting the dolly relative to the destination target. The open loop control of dolly movement can be taught with a control stick and the motions replayed based on dead reckoning.

Abstract: In a multi-jointed robot, position controllers are located at each of the joints of the robot and are interconnected by a unitary bus. The bus carries a loosely-regulated voltage to all of the controllers and also includes data conductors connected to the controllers for disseminating position commands which are time-division multiplexed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing detector sensitivity in a Capillary Zone Electrophoresis detector is disclosed. The present invention employs a unique cell, fabricated directly into a separations capillary, that increases both the flux and the path length of the ultra-violet light employed in an absorption measurement. The cell employs controlled geometric contours and osmotic pumping to prevent laminar mixing and turbulence. This novel design maintains the resolution of the parent biological separations instrument, while affording an order of magnitude enhancement of in sensitivity. A narrow bore capillary includes an injection end and an output end. Each end is placed in a reservoir containing a buffer solution and a sample of solute. The solute comprises at least one unknown constituent component. An electric field is imposed across the buffer solution and solute in the capillary by a power supply coupled to leads and electrodes.

Abstract: A microminiature valve having radially spaced, layered spider legs, with each leg having first and second layers of materials having substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion. The legs include heating elements and are fixed at one end to allow radial compliance as selected heating of the legs causes flexure. Below the legs is a semiconductor substrate having a flow orifice aligned with a valve face. Flexure of the legs displaces the valve face relative to the flow orifice, thereby controlling fluid flow through the orifice.

Abstract: A position encoder for monitoring the position of a robot arm includes an incremental encoder section which can be initialized locally by an initialization section. The initialization section comprises three engaged encoder gears with relative prime number of teeth, e.g., 23, 24 and 25, so that respective index apertures of the gears precess with successive revolutions of the gears. Upon startup, the robot arm can be moved sufficiently for all three apertures to be detected so that their relative phase positions can be determined. The relative phases can be used to determine an absolute initialization position. Once this initialization position is determined, robot motions can be tracked using the incremental encoder section.

Abstract: A robotic camera dolly system includes a motorized dolly which rolls freely across a studio floor under computer control, the dolly carrying a camera. Targets are provided on the floor at various locations from which camera shots are to be taken. The dolly is moved from one target to the vicinity of another target according to a learned sequence of movements controlled by a remote dolly computer. The learned sequence of movements is taught with the aid of a joystick, and the motions are replayed based on dead reckoning. In order to correct translational and angular errors in the position of the dolly at the destination target, optosensors are provided on the dolly for use in detecting and reorienting the dolly relative to the destination target. The open loop control of dolly movement can be taught with a control stick and the motions replayed based on dead reckoning.

Abstract: A robotic camera dolly system includes a motorized dolly which rolls freely across a studio floor under computer control, the dolly carrying a camera. Targets are provided on the floor at various locations from which camera shots are to be taken. The dolly is moved from one target to the vicinity of another target according to a learned sequence of movements controlled by a remote dolly computer. The learned sequence of movements is taught with the aid of a joystick, and the motions are replayed based on dead reckoning. In order to correct translational and angular errors in the position of the dolly at the destination target, optosensors are provided on the dolly for use in detecting and reorienting the dolly relative to the destination target. The open loop control of dolly movement can be taught with a control stick and the motions replayed based on dead reckoning.

Abstract: A system for controlling a mechanical manipulator in a laboratory environment employs a system of taught motions, attribute operators and procedure rules to simplify the programming task for scientists or engineers skilled in their own fields and not robotics.

Abstract: A joystick controller includes three gravity sensing switches, the outputs of which can be used in the assignment of joystick transducer outputs in six different ways depending on controller orientation. This permits intuitive control of a robot arm in that translational motions can always be effected by moving the joystick in the direction the arm is to move. Thus, a controller which is economical, reliable and intuitive multiplies the functions available from what is basically a two or three dimensional controller.

Abstract: In an improved digital readout for machine tools, an apparatus is provided which automatically offsets the digital position display by the radius of the cutting tool. A machinist is thereby enabled to work more rapidly and with reduced chance of making errors.

Abstract: A three state driver for an inductive load, e.g., a stator winding of a variable reluctance motor, allows the use of charge, idle, and discharge states in which a positive voltage, a short, and a reverse voltage are connected across the inductive load, respectively. An H-bridge comprising two electronic switches and two diodes is used to switch the inductive load voltages as commanded by a comparator circuit which compares the load current to a desired load current.