Abstract: A method and apparatus to refresh food pieces. Food pieces (such as potato chips, etc.) can become stale when exposed to moisture for periods of time. An apparatus includes a heater and a blower which generate hot air blown into a connected container. Thus, the food pieces are rejuvenated when exposed to streams of hot air and can become “unstale” therefore ready for eating. A control on a base of the apparatus can separately control both the heater and the blower.

Abstract: A universal pipette that can serve as a standard pipette or as a capillary action pipette. A side tube emanates from a main tube in the pipette. The side tube comprises a through hole which is sealed with a through hole tab. The through hole tab can be broken off by a user, thereby removing the seal and exposing the through hole to outside of the pipette. Liquid can now easily be drawn into the tip of the pipette by virtue of capillary action which is now enabled do to the exposed through hole.

Abstract: A system (10) for reducing volume of material used in laboratory processes, including a low-volume micro-plate (70,80) having a number of wells (14) bound together with matrix material (16), where the wells include secondary wells (74, 84) having reduced volume, and volume limiting plugs (20). The volume limiting plugs (20) have a shank portion (30) and a tip portion (28), where the shank and tip portions (20,30) are configured to extends a substantial distance into a well (14) of the multi-well plate (70,80) to reduce the volume of the well. Also volume limiting plugs (20) for use with standard multi-well plates and low-volume micro-plates (70,80) for use with standard plugs.