Automated Slide Staining With Nozzle Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual staining processes for slides are time-consuming, prone to inconsistencies, and lead to variations in staining quality due to non-homogeneous distribution of solutions, contributing to examination errors and backlogs in pathology tests.
Innovation Solution
An automated system and method for staining slides using a motor-driven mechanism with nozzles for solution application, fans for mixing, and support elements to ensure precise and uniform application of staining and buffer solutions, followed by washing and drying, enhancing consistency and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual staining process is used, then operation flexibility is maintained, but staining quality consistency deteriorates due to non-homogeneous solution distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical staining operations with an automated system that uses motor-driven mechanisms to transport slides and control solution dispensing. The system substitutes human hand movements with automated nozzles that precisely apply staining and buffer solutions, ensuring homogeneous distribution across the slide surface without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated staining system performs the staining process autonomously without requiring continuous manual intervention. The motor-driven mechanism automatically transports slides through the staining chamber, triggers solution dispensing at appropriate positions, and manages the entire staining sequence, allowing the system to serve itself in completing the staining task.
2Productivity
If manual staining is performed, then process simplicity is maintained, but time consumption increases due to manual handling and mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system enables continuous processing by eliminating idle time between staining steps. The motor-driven mechanism continuously transports slides through the staining chamber, and the nozzles continuously dispense solutions as slides pass by, ensuring that the staining process occurs without interruption or manual handling delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the time-consuming manual mixing step by replacing it with an automated mixing mechanism. The system uses a mixing blade or vortex mixer that automatically mixes the staining and buffer solutions on the slide surface, removing the need for manual mixing operations and significantly reducing process time.
3Manufacturing precision
If solutions are applied manually, then equipment complexity is minimized, but solution distribution homogeneity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual solution application with automated nozzles that are precisely positioned by motor-driven mechanisms. The nozzles dispense staining and buffer solutions in controlled amounts at specific locations on the slide, ensuring uniform distribution across the entire slide surface through automated positioning and dispensing control.
4Manufacturing precision
If manual mixing is performed, then energy consumption is reduced, but mixing effectiveness deteriorates leading to staining variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the mixing function from manual operations and implements it through an automated mixing mechanism. The system uses a mixing blade or vortex mixer that actively mixes the staining and buffer solutions on the slide surface, ensuring thorough homogenization of the solutions without requiring manual intervention and achieving consistent staining results.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The automated system improves staining quality, reduces time, and increases throughput by ensuring homogeneous solution distribution and reducing manual errors, thereby accelerating the staining process.
Implementation Method 1
one or more fans arranged at a third position along the predefined path and configured to circulate air towards the slide and cause mixing of the staining solution and the buffer solution on the slide
Data Source
AI summary
Various examples, systems, and methods are disclosed relating to an agentic curation pipeline. One system can process questions and other inquiries about video content by using a combination of models and stored information. The system can receive a query related to an event in a video, selects relevant portions of the video using embeddings, and apply the selected video data and a related sub-query to a video model. The output from the video model can be used by a language model, along with stored context, to generate an answer to the original query. The system can returns the answer to the requester.