Abstract: A system and method for compensating for hysteresis in laboratory liquid handling apparatus. The system comprises a carriage holding a drive gear that meshes with and drives a gear rack. A hysteresis brake is also provided on the carriage and opposes the movement of the drive gear to provide continued positive engagement of the drive gear with the gear rack even when the system is static. When the direction of travel of the gear rack is reversed, the drive gear rotates an additional distance that compensates for the aggregate hysteresis found in the drive train.

Abstract: A Diffuse Reflective Light Curtain System comprises at least one light curtain defining a border of a work zone for a robotic machine. Each light curtain comprises a primary board having multiple wells formed therein. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and light detectors are alternately placed in the multiple wells. The LEDs shine light up from the wells to form a curtain of light above the primary board. If an object comes into contact with the curtain of light emitted from the LEDs, the light is reflected back to toward the board and enters the wells of the board where the light detectors sense the presence of LED light. When the light detectors in the wells sense the presence of LED light, they send a signal to a controller to indicate that the light curtain has been breached by a foreign object. The controller, in turn, suspends the operation of the robotic machine that is protected by the light curtain.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing and retrieving labware comprises at least one labware hotel having a frame, a plurality of support arms for receiving and supporting labware, and an elevator capable of moving the support arms in unison. The support arms are periodically located upon an elevator cable and are removable from the cable such that the distance between adjacent support arms may be varied. A labware shuttle having a labware receiving surface is capable of holding and transporting labware between a first and second position. The first position is directly below a labware hotel and the second position is a location remote from the labware hotel. When the shuttle is in the first position, support arms from the labware hotel may engage labware held on the shuttle to remove labware from the shuttle or place labware upon the shuttle. When the shuttle is in the second position, the labware receiving surface may be rotated so that the labware upon the shuttle may be presented in at least two angular orientations.