Abstract: A reagent carrier includes: a cap configured to fit on an opening of a reaction vessel; and a reagent confined by the cap. The cap may be configured to release the reagent when a user manipulates the cap while the cap is fitted on the opening of the reaction vessel. For example, the reagent may be released when the user twists the cap from a first position to a second position or when the user pushes on a surface of the cap. The cap may be configured to seal the opening of the reaction vessel when the cap is fitted on the opening of the reaction vessel. In some implementations, the cap may be a blister cap containing the reagent. In some implementations, the cap may include a cage containing the reagent. In some implementations, the cap may include a deformable structure containing the reagent.

Abstract: A fluidic interconnect includes a first interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a cradle; a second interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a swing bar to engage the cradle, a weight of a container attached to one of the first or second interfaces to drive the liquid port of the first interface into connection with the liquid port of the second interface and the gas port of the first interface into connection with the gas port of the second interface.

Abstract: A method of preparing reagents includes inserting a cartridge into an instrument. The cartridge includes a plurality of reagent enclosures disposed in a cavity of the cartridge and exposing a port to an exterior of the cartridge. Each reagent enclosure includes a reagent container including a reagent and an internal cavity defining a compressible volume, an opening defined through the reagent container to the internal cavity. The method further includes connecting a plurality of fluid ports to the openings of the plurality of reagent enclosures; applying a solution through the fluid ports to at least partially fill the plurality of reagent enclosures; and cycling a pressure of the cavity, whereby for each of the reagent enclosures, during increasing pressure, the solution enters the internal cavity of the reagent container, combines with the reagent, and compresses the compressible volume, and during decreasing pressure, the compressible volume decreases and the reagent is ejected through the opening.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to apparatuses, cartridges, and pumps for peristaltic pumping of fluids and associated methods, systems, and devices. The pumping of fluids is, in certain cases, an important aspect of a variety of applications, such as bioanalytical applications (e.g., biological sample analysis, sequencing, identification). The inventive features described herein may, in some embodiments, provide an ability to pump fluids in ways that combine certain advantages of robotic fluid handling systems (e.g., automation, programmability, configurability, flexibility) with certain advantages of microfluidics (e.g., small fluid volumes with high fluid resolution, precision, monolithic consumables, limiting of the wetting of components to consumables).

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to apparatuses, cartridges, and pumps for peristaltic pumping of fluids and associated methods, systems, and devices. The pumping of fluids is, in certain cases, an important aspect of a variety of applications, such as bioanalytical applications (e.g., biological sample analysis, sequencing, identification). The inventive features described herein may, in some embodiments, provide an ability to pump fluids in ways that combine certain advantages of robotic fluid handling systems (e.g., automation, programmability, configurability, flexibility) with certain advantages of microfluidics (e.g., small fluid volumes with high fluid resolution, precision, monolithic consumables, limiting of the wetting of components to consumables).

Abstract: A fluidic interconnect includes a first interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a cradle; a second interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a swing bar to engage the cradle, a weight of a container attached to one of the first or second interfaces to drive the liquid port of the first interface into connection with the liquid port of the second interface and the gas port of the first interface into connection with the gas port of the second interface.

Abstract: A method of preparing reagents includes inserting a cartridge into an instrument. The cartridge includes a plurality of reagent enclosures disposed in a cavity of the cartridge and exposing a port to an exterior of the cartridge. Each reagent enclosure includes a reagent container including a reagent and an internal cavity defining a compressible volume, an opening defined through the reagent container to the internal cavity. The method further includes connecting a plurality of fluid ports to the openings of the plurality of reagent enclosures; applying a solution through the fluid ports to at least partially fill the plurality of reagent enclosures; and cycling a pressure of the cavity, whereby for each of the reagent enclosures, during increasing pressure, the solution enters the internal cavity of the reagent container, combines with the reagent, and compresses the compressible volume, and during decreasing pressure, the compressible volume decreases and the reagent is ejected through the opening.

Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a rotor plate to rotate around a first axis, a bucket attached to the rotor plate and to rotate around a second axis, and a stop plate to rotate around the first axis between an open position and a closed position. When in the closed position, the stop plate engages the bucket to fix an angular position of the bucket relative to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly further includes a housing for a sensor array component, the housing disposed in the bucket and including a solution inlet, a solution outlet, a transfer basin, a solution retainer disposed between the solution outlet and the transfer basin, and a collection reservoir in fluid communication with the transfer basin. The solution inlet and the solution outlet to engage ports of a flow cell of a sensor array.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a reagent solution includes an enclosure and a container disposed within the enclosure. The container defines an internal cavity having a compressible volume and defines a passage providing fluidic communication between the internal cavity and the exterior of the container. Optionally, a compressible member is disposed within the internal cavity. A reagent is disposed within the internal cavity.

Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a rotor plate to rotate around a first axis, a bucket attached to the rotor plate and to rotate around a second axis, and a stop plate to rotate around the first axis between an open position and a closed position. When in the closed position, the stop plate engages the bucket to fix an angular position of the bucket relative to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly further includes a housing for a sensor array component, the housing disposed in the bucket and including a solution inlet, a solution outlet, a transfer basin, a solution retainer disposed between the solution outlet and the transfer basin, and a collection reservoir in fluid communication with the transfer basin. The solution inlet and the solution outlet to engage ports of a flow cell of a sensor array.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a reagent solution includes an enclosure and a container disposed within the enclosure. The container defines an internal cavity having a compressible volume and defines a passage providing fluidic communication between the internal cavity and the exterior of the container. Optionally, a compressible member is disposed within the internal cavity. A reagent is disposed within the internal cavity.

Abstract: A fluidic interconnect includes a first interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a cradle; a second interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a swing bar to engage the cradle, a weight of a container attached to one of the first or second interfaces to drive the liquid port of the first interface into connection with the liquid port of the second interface and the gas port of the first interface into connection with the gas port of the second interface.

Abstract: A fluidic interconnect includes a first interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a cradle; a second interface including a liquid port, a gas port, and a swing bar to engage the cradle, a weight of a container attached to one of the first or second interfaces to drive the liquid port of the first interface into connection with the liquid port of the second interface and the gas port of the first interface into connection with the gas port of the second interface.

Abstract: A method of preparing reagents includes inserting a cartridge into an instrument. The cartridge includes a plurality of reagent enclosures disposed in a cavity of the cartridge and exposing a port to an exterior of the cartridge. Each reagent enclosure includes a reagent container including a reagent and an internal cavity defining a compressible volume, an opening defined through the reagent container to the internal cavity. The method further includes connecting a plurality of fluid ports to the openings of the plurality of reagent enclosures; applying a solution through the fluid ports to at least partially fill the plurality of reagent enclosures; and cycling a pressure of the cavity, whereby for each of the reagent enclosures, during increasing pressure, the solution enters the internal cavity of the reagent container, combines with the reagent, and compresses the compressible volume, and during decreasing pressure, the compressible volume decreases and the reagent is ejected through the opening.

Abstract: A method of preparing reagents includes inserting a cartridge into an instrument. The cartridge includes a plurality of reagent enclosures disposed in a cavity of the cartridge and exposing a port to an exterior of the cartridge. Each reagent enclosure includes a reagent container including a reagent and an internal cavity defining a compressible volume, an opening defined through the reagent container to the internal cavity. The method further includes connecting a plurality of fluid ports to the openings of the plurality of reagent enclosures; applying a solution through the fluid ports to at least partially fill the plurality of reagent enclosures; and cycling a pressure of the cavity, whereby for each of the reagent enclosures, during increasing pressure, the solution enters the internal cavity of the reagent container, combines with the reagent, and compresses the compressible volume, and during decreasing pressure, the compressible volume decreases and the reagent is ejected through the opening.

Abstract: A hand-held bioanalytic instrument is described that can perform massively parallel sample analysis including single-molecule gene sequencing. The instrument includes a pulsed optical source that produces ultrashort excitation pulses and a compact beam-steering assembly. The beam-steering assembly provides automated alignment of excitation pulses to an interchangeable bio-optoelectronic chip that contains tens of thousands of reaction chambers or more. The optical source, beam-steering assembly, bio-optoelectronic chip, and coupling optics register to an alignment structure in the instrument that can form at least one wall of an enclosure and dissipate heat.

Abstract: A method of preparing reagents includes inserting a cartridge into an instrument. The cartridge includes a plurality of reagent enclosures disposed in a cavity of the cartridge and exposing a port to an exterior of the cartridge. Each reagent enclosure includes a reagent container including a reagent and an internal cavity defining a compressible volume, an opening defined through the reagent container to the internal cavity. The method further includes connecting a plurality of fluid ports to the openings of the plurality of reagent enclosures; applying a solution through the fluid ports to at least partially fill the plurality of reagent enclosures; and cycling a pressure of the cavity, whereby for each of the reagent enclosures, during increasing pressure, the solution enters the internal cavity of the reagent container, combines with the reagent, and compresses the compressible volume, and during decreasing pressure, the compressible volume decreases and the reagent is ejected through the opening.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a reagent solution includes an enclosure and a container disposed within the enclosure. The container defines an internal cavity having a compressible volume and defines a passage providing fluidic communication between the internal cavity and the exterior of the container. Optionally, a compressible member is disposed within the internal cavity. A reagent is disposed within the internal cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a reagent solution includes an enclosure and a container disposed within the enclosure. The container defines an internal cavity having a compressible volume and defines a passage providing fluidic communication between the internal cavity and the exterior of the container. Optionally, a compressible member is disposed within the internal cavity. A reagent is disposed within the internal cavity.

Abstract: An automated template bead preparation system is provided and includes a membrane-based emulsion generation subsystems, a thermal plate and subsystem, and a continuous centrifugation emulsion breaking and templated bead collection subsystem. The emulsion generation subsystem provides uniformity in the preparation of an inverse emulsion and may be used to create large or small volume inverse emulsions rapidly and reproducibly. An emulsion-generating device is provided that can supply a continuous stream of an inverse emulsion to a thermal subsystem, in automated fashion. The thermal subsystem can treat an inverse emulsion passed therethrough. The continuous centrifugation subsystem can continuously break a thermally cycled inverse emulsion and collect template beads formed in the aqueous microreactor droplets of the inverse emulsion.