Pipettor calibration system devices and methods thereof

1 . A system ( 1000 ) configured to automatically calibrate a pipette, comprising:

a robotic arm ( 200 ), configured to translate and rotate its end effector ( 210 );

a pressing-device ( 300 ), firmly connected to the robotic arm, to serve as the end effector, the pressing device configured to hold a pipette and to press a plunger-button of the pipette;

a rotating-device ( 400 ), configured to rotate or dial a wheel-button of the pipette, comprising:

a firm base ( 410 );

a rotary-motor ( 420 ), configured to provide a rotary motion and moment;

at least one active-wheel ( 431 ), in rotary communication with the rotary-motor, configured to apply the moment onto the wheel-button and turn or dial the wheel-button; and

a coupling-assembly ( 440 ), mounted via a rail on the firm base, the coupling assembly is configured to translate along the rail relative to the firm base, to carry and move the rotary-motor and the at least one active-wheel towards and/or away from the wheel-button of the pipette and thereby to selectively couple the at least one active-wheel to the wheel-button and/or to separate the at least one active-wheel from the wheel-button, and therefore control the application of the moment onto the wheel-button;

at least one liquid source ( 500 );

at least one scaling element ( 600 ), configured to measure weight;

at least one input-device ( 700 ), configured to receive real-time input-data; and

at least one processor ( 399 , 499 , 800 ), in communication with the input-device configured to analyze the input-data and accordingly to:

control the motion of the robotic arm, and therefore control location and orientation of the pipette;

control the rotating-device, and therefore control a rotation angle or dialing applied onto the wheel-button;

control the pressing-device, and therefore control pressure applied onto the plunger-button and control the gripping and release of the pipette;

evaluate calibration of the pipette, in reference to a predetermined standard; and

output a calibration report for the pipette.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is provided within a closed cabin that is configured to enable environment control there within, with the exception that when the at least one processor comprises a plurality of processors, some of the plurality of processors are optionally provided outside of the closed cabin.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the system further comprises at least one temperature control device, configured to adjust the cabin's temperature and/or the liquid's temperature in the liquid source;

the input-device comprises at least one temperature sensor; and

the at least one processor is further configured to control the temperature control device to a predetermined temperature.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the system further comprises at least one humidity control device, configured to adjust the cabin's humidity;

the input-device comprises at least one humidity sensor; and

the at least one processor is further configured to control the humidity control device to a predetermined humidity.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the input-data comprises at least one of:

at least one reference standard, to be provided as the predetermined standard;

identification data of the pipette;

at least one image of the pipette, received from an imaging sensor;

at least one current image of the pipette's volume indicator, received from an imaging sensor;

current illumination intensity, received from an illumination sensor;

current cabin's temperature, received from a temperature sensor;

current liquid temperature in the liquid source, received from a temperature sensor;

current cabin's humidity, received from a humidity sensor;

current location and orientation of the pipette, received from the at least one processor that controls the motion of the robotic arm;

current liquid weight, received from the scaling element;

current atmospheric pressure;

Calculated Z factor;

current water density; and

any combination thereof.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following conditions is present:

the robotic arm comprises at least four rotational degrees of freedom;

the input-device comprises at least one of: a keyboard, a scanner, a touch screen, a microphone, a camera, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an illumination sensor, a water density sensor, a sensor which determines the liquid quantity at the liquid source, the scaling element, an atmospheric pressure sensor, and any combination thereof, configured to collect data about the pipette features and/or the system's features;

the system further comprises at least one display device, configured to display the input data and/or the calibration report;

the plunger-button and the wheel-button are configured as a single button; and

the report comprising any one of: pass, fail, need adjustment, check for mechanical malfunction, and combination thereof.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the input-device comprises at least one imaging-sensor, configured to take an image(s) of the pipette.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to evaluate a required rotation-angle or dialing, based on a received and analyzed image of digits of a volume indicator and optionally an indicated measuring unit.

9 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising at least one illumination element, configured to illuminate at least the volume indicator of the pipette.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the input-device comprises at least one illumination sensor; and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the illumination element.

11 . A method for automatic calibration of at least one pipette using the system according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

receiving the input-data, via the at least one input-device;

holding and/or releasing a pipette, via the pressing-device;

moving the pipette to a predetermined location and/or orientation, via the robotic arm;

applying a predetermined rotation angle onto a wheel-button of the pipette, via the rotating-device;

applying a predetermined pressure onto a plunger-button of the pipette, via the pressing-device;

measuring liquid weight, via the scaling element;

evaluating a calibration of the pipette, in reference to a predetermined standard, via the at least one processor; and

providing a calibration report for the pipette, via the at least one processor and a display device.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of applying a predetermined rotation angle onto a wheel-button, comprises selecting a liquid volume for the pipette; and wherein the step of selecting a liquid volume for the pipette comprises analyzing, via the at least one processor, an image of a volume indicator of the pipette, provided by an imaging sensor.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of applying a predetermined pressure onto the plunger-button, comprises drawing liquid from the liquid source into the pipette.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of applying a predetermined pressure onto the plunger-button, comprises dispensing the liquid from the pipette onto the scaling element.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the steps of drawing, dispensing, and measuring, are repeated in cycles, for a predetermined number of times, per several predetermined selected liquid volumes; and wherein the step of evaluating is based on a selected collection of the repeated cycles.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the coupling-assembly further comprises two opposing-sections configured to move towards ( 451 , 452 ) and/or away ( 461 , 462 ) from each other, the first-section is configured to carry the rotary-motor and the at least one active-wheel, and the second-section is configured to carry another at least one active-wheel or a passive-wheel, and wherein the coupling-assembly is configured to couple and/or separate all the wheels from two opposing sides of the wheel-button.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the coupling-assembly further comprises a compression-spring configured to bring the two opposing-sections one towards the other, and therefore to apply a compression-force onto the wheel-button.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the coupling-assembly further comprises a piston comprising a piston-lever; the piston-lever located between the two opposing-sections, configured to separate the two opposing-sections, when the piston-lever protrudes out of the piston.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the following conditions is present:

the at least one active-wheel and/or the passive-wheel comprises rubber;

the rotating-device further comprising the at least one processor that is configured to control the rotary-motor and/or the coupling-assembly, and therefore to control the rotation or dialing of the wheel-button;

the rotating-device further comprising at least one imaging-sensor, in communication with the at least one processor, configured to image digits of a volume indicator of the pipette and optionally its indicated measuring unit, and optionally wherein the at least one processor is further configured to analyze the provided image and to control the rotation of the wheel-button, based on the analyzed image, to a predetermined value;

the rotating-device further comprising an illumination element, configured to illuminate the volume indicator; and

the rotating-device further comprising a gripping-device, firmly connected to the firm base and configured to firmly and temporarily hold the pipette.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one active-wheel and/or the passive-wheel is mounted to the coupling-assembly via a spring(s), configured to allow motion along the axis ( 470 ) of the at least one active-wheel and/or the passive-wheel.