Abstract: A device for cutting off one or more sample regions from a sample carrier that contains impregnated sample material, e.g. blood, is described. The device includes: a cutting unit (103) for cutting off the one or more sample regions from the sample carrier, an optical imaging unit (101) for producing an electronic image of the sample carrier, and a processor (102) for controlling a display screen (108) to display the image (104) and one or more indicators (105, 105?) each expressing the location of one sample region to be cut off. Thus, an operator of the device is enabled to monitor, without direct visual communication to the sample carrier, what region or regions of the sample carrier is/are to be cut off. As no direct visual communication with the sample carrier is needed, the working ergonomics of the operator can be improved.

Abstract: A device for cutting off one or more sample regions from a sample carrier that contains impregnated sample material, e.g. blood, is described. The device includes: a cutting unit (103) for cutting off the one or more sample regions from the sample carrier, an optical imaging unit (101) for producing an electronic image of the sample carrier, and a processor (102) for controlling a display screen (108) to display the image (104) and one or more indicators (105, 105?) each expressing the location of one sample region to be cut off. Thus, an operator of the device is enabled to monitor, without direct visual communication to the sample carrier, what region or regions of the sample carrier is/are to be cut off. As no direct visual communication with the sample carrier is needed, the working ergonomics of the operator can be improved.

Abstract: An instrument for processing sample carrier cards is described. Each sample carrier card contains impregnated sample material, e.g. blood. The instrument includes actuators capable of doing actions related to the sample carrier cards when the sample carrier cards are located on operating areas of the actuators. The actions may include e.g. optical imaging, cutting off sample pieces from a sample carrier card, and reading machine-readable information from a sample carrier card. The instrument includes a rotatably supported carousel element for carrying the sample carrier cards so that separate ones of the sample carrier cards are on separate ones of the operating areas and the sample carrier cards are movable between the operating areas by rotating the carousel element. Thus, the actions can be carried out in parallel and therefore the sample carrier cards can be processed in a pipelined manner enabling a higher processing rate.

Abstract: A switch device for producing one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force includes a body-part (101) and one or more electric transducers (102-105) connected to the body-part and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force directed to the body-part. The body-part includes a cavity (106), and a wall constituting the bottom of the cavity is capable of being bent by mechanical force directed to the wall from the opposite side with respect to the cavity. The one or more electric transducers are located in the cavity and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals when the bottom of the cavity is bent. The switch device can be built, for example, into a working plane of an electrical instrument so that a plate constituting the working plane constitutes also the body-part of the switch device.

Abstract: A switch device for producing one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force includes a body-part (101) and one or more electric transducers (102-105) connected to the body-part and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals in response to mechanical force directed to the body-part. The body-part includes a cavity (106), and a wall constituting the bottom of the cavity is capable of being bent by mechanical force directed to the wall from the opposite side with respect to the cavity. The one or more electric transducers are located in the cavity and arranged to produce the one or more electrical signals when the bottom of the cavity is bent. The switch device can be built, for example, into a working plane of an electrical instrument so that a plate constituting the working plane constitutes also the body-part of the switch device.

Abstract: A device for cutting off one or more sample regions from a sample carrier that contains impregnated sample material, e.g. blood, is described. The device includes: a cutting unit (103) for cutting off the one or more sample regions from the sample carrier, an optical imaging unit (101) for producing an electronic image of the sample carrier, and a processor (102) for controlling a display screen (108) to display the image (104) and one or more indicators (105, 105?) each expressing the location of one sample region to be cut off. Thus, an operator of the device is enabled to monitor, without direct visual communication to the sample carrier, what region or regions of the sample carrier is/are to be cut off. As no direct visual communication with the sample carrier is needed, the working ergonomics of the operator can be improved.