Abstract: A liquid dispenser for a microfluidic assay system is described. The dispenser includes at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle. A pin tip at one end of the transfer pin is structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle. The tip uses a high voltage potential to transfer the sample from the pin to the receptacle.

Abstract: An example system for managing professional development plans may include a plan management module for receiving data representing a development plan for one or more users and an achievement module. The achievement module may determine one or more achievements associated with the development plan and may provide the one or more achievements to a user device of a first user. The achievement module may receive an association of an achievement selected from the one or more achievements with the goal-related aspect of the development plan and associate the achievement with the goal-related aspect of the development plan. The system may further include a reporting module for generating, based on associating the achievement with the goal-related aspect, a report describing the progress of the first user on the development plan.

Abstract: A system for holding at least one of sample and reagent for analysis. The system includes a pair of parallel covers, at least one of which is light transmissive, of which pair a light transmissive cover forms a top, and of which pair the other forms a bottom. A frame is disposed between the covers to define, in relation to the covers, an interior volume. The frame and the covers are associated with one another to form a case, the case being substantially tight to liquids. A microfluidic array is disposed in the interior volume. The array includes a sheet of material having a pair of opposed surfaces, a thickness, and a plurality of through-holes running through the thickness between the surfaces, the through-holes containing at least one of sample and reagent.

Abstract: An example system for managing professional development plans may include a plan management module for receiving data representing a development plan for one or more users and an achievement module. The achievement module may determine one or more achievements associated with the development plan and may provide the one or more achievements to a user device of a first user. The achievement module may receive an association of an achievement selected from the one or more achievements with the goal-related aspect of the development plan and associate the achievement with the goal-related aspect of the development plan. The system may further include a reporting module for generating, based on associating the achievement with the goal-related aspect, a report describing the progress of the first user on the development plan.

Abstract: A system for holding at least one of sample and reagent for analysis. The system includes a pair of parallel covers, at least one of which is light transmissive, of which pair a light transmissive cover forms a top, and of which pair the other forms a bottom. A frame is disposed between the covers to define, in relation to the covers, an interior volume. The frame and the covers are associated with one another to form a case, the case being substantially tight to liquids. A microfluidic array is disposed in the interior volume. The array includes a sheet of material having a pair of opposed surfaces, a thickness, and a plurality of through-holes running through the thickness between the surfaces, the through-holes containing at least one of sample and reagent.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser for a microfluidic assay system is described. The dispenser includes at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle. A pin tip at one end of the transfer pin is structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle. The tip uses capillary action to transfer the sample from the pin to the receptacle.

Abstract: An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

Abstract: Various implementations for automatically determining user alignments and recommendations for electronic resources are described. One example implementation includes an assessment module, an alignment module, and a recommender. The assessment module determines performance levels of two or more users of an educational platform. The alignment module determines an alignment between the two or more users of the educational platform based on the performance levels of the two or more users. The recommender generates a recommendation for a social graph connection between the two or more users in a social graph based on the alignment.

Abstract: An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

Abstract: Various implementations for automatically determining user alignments and recommendations for electronic resources are described. One example implementation includes an assessment module, an alignment module, and a recommender. The assessment module determines performance levels of two or more users of an educational platform. The alignment module determines an alignment between the two or more users of the educational platform based on the performance levels of the two or more users. The recommender generates a recommendation for a social graph connection between the two or more users in a social graph based on the alignment.

Abstract: Various embodiments for prescribing electronic resources based on observational assessments are described. One example system includes a communication unit for sending and receiving data, a recommendation engine, and an assignment engine. The recommendation engine receives observation data related to a target subject, identifies one or more electronic resources that correspond to the observation data, and provides data describing the one or more electronic resources for display to an observer. The recommendation engine is coupled to the communication unit to provide the data representing the one or more electronic resources. The assignment engine receives an assignment request requesting an assignment of at least one electronic resource from the one or more electronic resources to the target subject for completion. The assignment engine also assigns the at least one electronic resource to the target subject. The assignment engine is coupled to the communication unit to receive the assignment request.

Abstract: Various implementations for automatically determining user alignments and recommendations for electronic resources are described. One example implementation includes an assessment module, an alignment module, and a recommender. The assessment module determines performance levels of two or more users of an educational platform. The alignment module determines an alignment between the two or more users of the educational platform based on the performance levels of the two or more users. The recommender generates a recommendation for a social graph connection between the two or more users in a social graph based on the alignment.

Abstract: Various implementations for managing and providing interactive content are described. One example implementation includes a system having one or more processors, a communication unit, a content management engine, an interactivity module, and a reporting module. The communication unit sends and receives data over a network. The content management engine transmits a first instance of an interactive content dataset via the communication unit to a first client device of a first user for presentation. The interactivity module receives event data describing an interaction with the interactive content dataset from the first client device via the communication unit. The reporting module generates a report describing the interaction by the first user with the interactive content dataset and transmits the report via the communication unit to one or more of the first client device and a second client device of a second user for presentation.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser for a microfluidic assay system is described. The dispenser includes at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle. A pin tip at one end of the transfer pin is structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle. The tip uses a high voltage potential to transfer the sample from the pin to the receptacle.

Abstract: A system for holding at least one of sample and reagent for analysis. The system includes a pair of parallel covers, at least one of which is light transmissive, of which pair a light transmissive cover forms a top, and of which pair the other forms a bottom. A frame is disposed between the covers to define, in relation to the covers, an interior volume. The frame and the covers are associated with one another to form a case, the case being substantially tight to liquids. A microfluidic array is disposed in the interior volume. The array includes a sheet of material having a pair of opposed surfaces, a thickness, and a plurality of through-holes running through the thickness between the surfaces, the through-holes containing at least one of sample and reagent.

Abstract: A method and system for vending products from a defined area, such as a micro-warehouse with a door. The method includes fitting each product with a radio frequency identification tag, positioning the plurality of products in a micro-warehouse, sensing opening and closing of the micro-warehouse door, scanning the plurality of products in the micro-warehouse upon sensing closing of the door to determine the number and type of products in the micro-warehouse, generating a message based on the number and type of products in the micro-warehouse, transmitting the message to a remote processor or server, and maintaining an inventory in the remote processor based on the message. The system is designed to be accessed by authorized individuals possessing some type of code or identifying mechanism. The micro-warehouses may be cabinets, refrigerators, secured rooms, or similar storage units or areas.

Abstract: An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

Abstract: A method and system for providing point-of-sale and point-of-delivery and/or distribution of products in a restricted access unit near the customer. The method and system utilize products equipped with radio frequency tags and reduce the effects of energy sharing, shadowing, and nulls. In one embodiment, a plurality of RF tagged products are placed within a refrigerator, cabinet, or other micro-warehouse that has a door or opening that can detect access to the micro-warehouse. In one embodiment, one or more antennas are positioned within the door. Each antenna may have a transmission line of sight and be configured to emit a signal at predefined frequencies. Each antenna generates an electromagnetic field within the micro-warehouse. In one embodiment, the products are positioned in one or more bins, compartments, or similar devices located within the micro-warehouse such that at least two of the plurality of products are spaced a distance from each other to reduce energy sharing.

Abstract: An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

Abstract: The invention features methods of making devices, or “platens”, having a high-density array of through-holes, as well as methods of cleaning and refurbishing the surfaces of the platens. The invention further features methods of making high-density arrays of chemical, biochemical, and biological compounds, having many advantages over conventional, lower-density arrays. The invention includes methods by which many physical, chemical or biological transformations can be implemented in serial or in parallel within each addressable through-hole of the devices. Additionally, the invention includes methods of analyzing the contents of the array, including assaying of physical properties of the samples.