Improved sample tracking with novel Barcoded Latch Rack and Wireless Barcode Reader
ThermoFisher Scientific have recently unveiled a new barcoded latch rack and wireless barcode reader, which are designed to improve sample tracking and protection. The Thermo Scientific Matrix 2D barcoded tubes in barcoded latch rack and Thermo Scientific VisionMate Wireless barcode reader were displayed at SLAS2016, the annual conference for the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (23-27 January 2016, San Diego, CA, USA).
“Precise sample tracking and identification is essential to protecting sample integrity and safeguarding sample information,” explained Chris Tsourides, from ThermoFisher Scientific. “The new line of tubes in a barcoded latch rack and the enhanced portability of the wireless barcode reader are intended to instill user confidence, providing assurance that samples have been securely identified and tracked throughout the workflow.”
Matrix 2D barcoded tubes feature unique barcodes in order to ensure sample identification. Individual tubes are also paired with linear and 2D barcodes on 3 sides of the tube rack, as well as human readable type. Samples stored in 2D barcoded tubes could be previously tracked individually; however the tracking of whole racks of tubes required adhesive labels being added to racks, but these labels commonly fall off during storage or transport. Tracking tube racks has been made easier in the new system by the addition of laser-etched barcodes to tube racks, which helps to reduce potential code duplication or mislabelling. This enables the user to save time as well as having greater peace of mind due to the fact that barcoded data stays with samples for their lifetime.
The barcodes present on tubes and racks are both 2D and linear and can be read with VisionMate Wireless barcode reader. Unlike its competitors the devices is designed to lay flat on the benchtop, enabling users to scan tubes or racks without holding it. However, in the event that a sample should not be exposed to ambient conditions, the reader can be used as a hand held device that scans samples whilst they remain in storage. A further feature of the VisionMate Wireless barcode reader is its ability to read barcodes in cold environments, and transmitting the data via Bluetooth to a paired computer.
Source: ThermoFisher Scientific News Release – http://news.thermofisher.com/press-release/slas2016/new-barcoded-latch-rack-and-wireless-barcode-reader-improve-sample-tracking.
