Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a method for tracking lysis progress in an automated lysing device. For example, the lysing device may be configured to execute multiple iterations of lysing at a defined location on the tissue section and imaging the defined location on the tissue section using a camera. From the images a lysing parameter may be determined to improve lysing.

Abstract: A pipetting apparatus having a pipette tube with a first end provided with an opening for aspirating and/or dispensing of a sample fluid and a second end operationally connected to a pressure generating means. The pipetting apparatus has at least one measuring unit adapted to determine at least one measurement value of the sample fluid based on the aspirating and/or dispensing of the sample fluid and to provide a sample fluid measurement signal representative thereof to an output of the measuring unit. The pipetting apparatus also has a control circuit operationally coupled to the output of the measuring unit and the input of the pressure generating means, the control circuit is configured to control said pressure generating device based on the sample fluid measurement signal.

Abstract: A cover for a fluid container having an essentially plane cover plate for closing at least one opening of at least one fluid container and at least two ports, and each port has a through channel extending through the entire thickness of the cover plate and a fluid impermeable first membrane is arranged over the entire cross section of the through channel of the first port and an at least gas permeable second membrane is arranged over the entire cross section of the through channel of the second port is disclosed.

Abstract: A device for controlling an optical recognition unit with the help of a capacitive filling level measurement in liquid containers having a sensor with a measuring electrode, a conductive base plate suitable for arranging at least one liquid container or a carrier unit having at least one receptacle for receiving a liquid container, a sensor electronics unit that is connected to the measuring electrode and the base plate adapted to determine a capacitance between the measuring electrode and base plate, an evaluation unit, and a control unit for controlling the optical recognition unit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A pipetting apparatus and method capable of detecting a liquid within an intermediate section of a pipette tube of the pipetting apparatus. The intermediate section is located between an upper section of the pipette tube at which a first electrode is arranged and a lower section at which a second electrode is arranged. The first and second electrodes form a measurement capacitor and are operationally connected to an impedance measurement unit, which is adapted to detect whether liquid, such as a portion of a sample liquid or system liquid, is present within the intermediate section based on the measured impedance or change of impedance, e.g. an increase of the capacitance and/or a decrease of the resistance, of the measurement capacitor caused by a presence of the liquid within the intermediate section.

Abstract: A displacement device for displacing a displacement volume is disclosed. The device has a first fluid space and a second fluid space. A first piston is arranged in a movable manner within the first fluid space. The first fluid space is connectable to a pipetting device. The first piston is actuatable by an actuation volume of air or of liquid provided by the pipetting device. A second piston is arranged in a movable manner within the second fluid space. The second piston is constructed to displace a displacement volume of a fluid located within the second fluid space when the second piston is actuated. The second piston is actuated in dependence on the first piston that is actuated by the actuation volume. The actuation volume is different from the displacement volume, and a pipetting system has a displacement device and a method of displacing a displacement volume.

Abstract: A method for aspirating a first liquid medium of two liquid media of different density from a sample container comprises: lowering a pipette of the laboratory automation device into the sample container until a pipette tip of the pipette has passed a lowering distance from the surface of the first liquid medium in the sample container, wherein the lowering distance is chosen, such that the pipette tip passes at least an aspiration volume in the sample container; aspirating liquid from the sample container during the lowering of the pipette by generating an underpressure in the pipette, wherein the first liquid medium is aspirated, and after the interface and the pipette tip pass each other, the second liquid medium of the two liquid media is aspirated; measuring a pressure in the pipette during the lowering of the pipette and detecting a position of the interface, when a slope of the pressure changes; when the lowering distance has been passed and no interface is detected, aspirating the aspiration volume fro

Abstract: Devices and corresponding methods for capacitive foam detection in liquid containers are disclosed. The device has a sensor with a measurement electrode having a plurality of sub-electrodes, a bottom plate that is used as a counter electrode for arranging a liquid container, a sensor electronic unit that is connected to the measurement electrode and the bottom plate and is adapted to determine an impedance, in particular a capacitance, between the measurement electrode and the bottom plate, and an evaluation unit, the measurement electrode being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the bottom plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pipetting device having tube with an opening at one end for suctioning or discharging a sample fluid, and can be operatively connected to a pressure generation device at the other end. A first electrode is formed on the pipetting device that forms a measuring capacitor together with a second electrode formed by at least one part of the sample fluid and that can be received in the tube and the measuring capacitor is operatively connected to a measuring unit, and the measuring unit is designed to determine a volume of the suctioned or discharged sample fluid according to the capacity of the measuring capacitor. The invention also relates to a fluid processing system having a pipetting device of this type, as well as a method for determining a processed fluid volume during pipetting with a pipetting device of this type.

Abstract: The present invention relates to pipette tips for connecting to a pipette tube of a pipetting device that is used for taking up and dispensing fluids. A pipette tip is shaped as a long tube that forms a pipette body with an opening on one of its ends and the other end is designed to connect to the pipette tube. The pipette tip is characterised in that it has an electrode as a volume measuring electrode of a measuring capacitor. The present invention further relates to pipetting devices with a pipette tip, methods for determining the volume of a fluid sample in such a pipette tip, methods for recognising such a pipette tip on a pipetting device, methods for producing such a pipette tip, uses for such a pipette tip and a set of pipette tips.

Abstract: The invention concerns pipette tips for connecting to a pipette tube of a pipetting device are used for taking up and discharging fluids. The pipette tip is in the shape of an elongated tube forming a pipette body that has an opening at one end and is designed for connecting to the pipette tube at the other end. The pipette tip has a first electrode as a volume measuring electrode of a measuring capacitor and a second electrode as an immersion detector electrode. The first electrode is located on an outer surface of the pipette body or is embedded in the pipette body, and the second electrode is located at least partially on an inner surface of the pipette body.

Abstract: A pipette tip extension attachable to a pipette tip is disclosed. The pipette tip extension has a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The exterior wall has an outer side and an inner side and forms at the proximal end a reception aperture for inserting a pipette tip. The pipette tip extension also has a bottom at the distal end, an inner cavity enclosed by the inner side of the exterior wall and the bottom, and one or more distance elements arranged at the inner side of the exterior wall and protruding into the inner cavity.

Abstract: A method for controlling a magnetic valve and particularly a method for dispensing and/or aspirating a volume of liquid as well as a corresponding dispenser/pipetting apparatus is disclosed. The method for controlling a magnetic valve has measuring a capacitance at the magnetic valve and determining a position of a plunger based on the measured capacitance. The method for dispensing or aspirating a volume of liquid has controlling a flow of a system fluid by a magnetic valve located between a pressure source and a dispenser/pipetting tip, dispensing or aspirating a volume of liquid through an exterior opening of the tip dependent on the flow of the system fluid, wherein controlling the flow and determining a flow time in dependence of the volume of liquid to be dispensed or aspirated, and controlling the magnetic valve is held open for the duration of the flow time.

Abstract: A pipette tip extension attachable to a pipette tip having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end is disclosed. The exterior wall has an outer side and an inner side and forms at the proximal end a reception aperture for inserting a pipette tip, and at the distal end a dispense aperture. The pipette tip extension further has an inner cavity, a distance element connected to the inner side of the exterior wall, and a constriction element.

Abstract: A method of treating an isolated area of a sample with a liquid is disclosed. The method has the steps of generating an isolated area of a sample by a first fluid reservoir where the first fluid reservoir enclosing a distal end of a second fluid reservoir and the isolated area of the sample being sealed towards the remaining area of the sample, bringing the isolated area of the sample into fluid connection with the second fluid reservoir, dispensing a fluid from the second fluid reservoir into the first fluid reservoir thereby generating a fluid flow on the sample at the isolated area in a first direction, and aspirating the fluid from the first fluid reservoir into the second fluid reservoir thereby generating a fluid flow on the sample at the isolated area in a second direction.

Abstract: A pipette tip extension attachable to a pipette tip is disclosed. The pipette tip extension has a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The exterior wall has an outer side and an inner side and forms at the proximal end a reception aperture for inserting a pipette tip. The pipette tip extension further has a bottom at the distal end, an inner cavity enclosed by the inner side of the exterior wall and the bottom, one or more distance elements arranged at the inner side of the exterior wall and protruding into the inner cavity, and a coating for interacting with a fluid present in a fluid uptake area.

Abstract: A pipette tip extension having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior wall extending between the proximal end and the distal end is disclosed. The exterior wall has an outer side and an inner side and encloses an inner cavity which is delimited by the inner side of the exterior wall. The exterior wall forms at the proximal end a reception aperture. The pipette tip extension further has one or more distance elements arranged at the inner side of the exterior wall and protruding into the inner cavity.

Abstract: A pipetting device having a lube has an opening al one end for suctioning or discharging a sample fluid and can be operatively connected to a pressure generation device at the other end, a first electrode is formed on the pipetting device and forms a measuring capacitor together with a second electrode formed by at least one part of the sample fluid that can be received in the tube and that measuring capacitor is operatively connected to a measuring unit, and the measuring unit is designed to determine a volume of the suctioned or discharged sample fluid according to the capacity of the measuring capacitor, as well as having a first electrical contact that is designed to create an electrical connection with the working fluid, the first electrical contact can be electrically connected to the measuring unit via a low-resistance converter circuit.

Abstract: Devices and corresponding methods for capacitive foam detection in liquid containers are disclosed. The device has a sensor with a measurement electrode having a plurality of sub-electrodes, a bottom plate that is used as a counter electrode for arranging a liquid container, a sensor electronic unit that is connected to the measurement electrode and the bottom plate and is adapted to determine an impedance, in particular a capacitance, between the measurement electrode and the bottom plate, and an evaluation unit, the measurement electrode being arranged substantially perpendicularly to the bottom plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pipetting device having tube with an opening at one end for suctioning or discharging a sample fluid, and can be operatively connected to a pressure generation device at the other end. A first electrode is formed on the pipetting device that forms a measuring capacitor together with a second electrode formed by at least one part of the sample fluid and that can be received in the tube and the measuring capacitor is operatively connected to a measuring unit, and the measuring unit is designed to determine a volume of the suctioned or discharged sample fluid according to the capacity of the measuring capacitor. The invention also relates to a fluid processing system having a pipetting device of this type, as well as a method for determining a processed fluid volume during pipetting with a pipetting device of this type.