Abstract: A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, possibly involving differing types of tissues and differing process steps, comprising a robotic arm, which may move the different tissue samples among the plurality of processing stations, and a processor, which may select the order, timing and location of the tissue sample. The robotic device may comprise a bench robot with rectilinear motion or a rotatable tower. The processing stations may be disposed in a set of grid locations, which comprise workstations for performing individual steps of the procedures. In response to timing information about the procedures, the processor may select the sample to be moved.

Abstract: A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, possibly involving differing types of tissues and differing process steps, comprising a robotic arm, which may move the different tissue samples among a plurality of processing stations, and a processor, which may select the next tissue sample to move, when to move it, and where to move it to. The processor may direct the robotic arm to interleave the differing process steps. The processor may select a tissue sample to be moved in response to timing information about the procedures, which may specify the start time and end time of each process step. The specified times may be exact or may be a range of times. The processor may determine the exact time for a step by generating a possible sequence of steps and examining that sequence for conflicts, adjusting that sequence in response to those steps with a specified range of times, and iterating the calculation over a plurality of possible sequences.

Abstract: A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, possibly involving differing types of tissues and differing process steps, comprising a robotic arm, which moves the different tissue samples among a plurality of processing stations, and a processor, which selects the next tissue sample to move, when to move it, and where to move it to. The processor directs the robotic arm to interleave the differing process steps. The processing stations comprise workstations for performing individual steps of the tissue assay procedures, such as solution trays. The processor selects a tissue sample to be moved in response to timing information about the procedures. While the processor is directing the robotic arm to move, the processor monitors progress information and can alter the sequence of process steps in response to the progress information and information from an operator.

Abstract: A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, possibly involving differing types of tissues and differing process steps, comprising a robotic arm, which may move the different tissue samples among the plurality of processing stations, and a processor, which may select the order, timing and location of the tissue sample. The robotic device may comprise a bench robot with rectilinear motion or a rotatable tower. The processing stations may be disposed in a set of grid locations, which comprise workstations for performing individual steps of the procedures. In response to timing information about the procedures, the processor may select the sample to be moved.

Abstract: A system for performing a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, each procedure having a sample and at least one process step for operating on that sample the system having a robotic device for moving a sample among a plurality of processing stations where the robotic device comprises substrate to which are coupled a plurality of tiles each one of the tiles disposed at a selected location on the substrate; a plurality of reagent trays coupled to the tiles, each one of the reagent trays having substantially identical shape and size; a robotic arm disposed for reaching substantially all the tiles; and capable of coupling and decoupling from a sample holder, the sample holder capable of holding at least one sample in a selected position, whereby the robotic arm is capable of moving the sample from a first one of the reagent trays to a second one of the reagent trays; and a processor for selecting, at a plurality of times a sample to be moved, and for directing the robotic arm to move the sa

Abstract: A system for performing a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, each the procedure having a sample and at least one process step for operating on that sample the system having a robotic device for moving sample among a plurality of processing stations where the robotic device comprises substrate to which are coupled a plurality of tiles each one of the tiles disposed art a selected location on the substrate; a plurality of reagent trays coupled to the tiles each one of the reagent trays having substantially identical shape and size; a robotic arm disposed for reaching substantially all the tiles; and comprising means for coupling and decoupling from a sample holder, the sample holder having a means for holding at least one sample in a selected position, whereby the robotic arm is capable of moving the sample from a first one of the reagent trays to a second one of the reagent trays; and a processor for selecting, at a plurality of times a sample to be moved, and for directing the roboti

Abstract: A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, possibly involving differing types of tissues and differing process steps, comprising a robotic device, which may cause the different tissue samples to be processed by processing stations, and a processor, which may select the next process step. The processor may direct the robotic device to interleave the differing process steps. The processor may select a next process step in response to timing information about the procedures, which may specify the start time and end time of each process step. The specified times may be exact or may be a range of times. The processor may determine the exact time for a step by generating a possible sequence of steps and examining that sequence for conflicts, adjusting that sequence in response to those steps with a specified range of times, and iterating the calculation over a plurality of possible sequences.

Abstract: A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, comprising a robotic arm and a processor, which may direct the robotic arm to interleave the differing process steps. The processor may select a tissue sample to be moved in response to timing information about the procedures, which may specify the start time and end time of each process step. The specified times may be exact or may be a range of times. The processor may determine the exact time for a step by generating a possible sequence of steps and examining that sequence for conflicts, adjusting that sequence in response to those steps with a specified range of times, and iterating the calculation over a plurality of possible sequences. The processor may also optimize the order in which samples are moved to minimize the total time required by the system to complete the procedures, e.g.

Abstract: A high intake, defined excitation, vertical profiling survey bioluminescence bathyphotometer system designed to measure, from a statistically significant sample with a calibrated hydromechanical stimulus, (1) the bioluminescence of phytoplankton and zooplankton organisms in the oceanic water column to depths of 400 meters in absolute units of photons per second per volume (intensity) or photons per volume (total flux), (2) the concentration of bioluminescent population in flashes per volume, (3) the average light intensity per bioluminescent event, and (4) population flash dynamics.