Large-scale, high-speed processing evolves further with the advancement of new Frontier and Symphony.

BML seeks efficient and sophisticated unmanned laboratory test techniques with improved accuracy and reliability. One way in which we have achieved this is with our in-house developed automation systems, new Frontier and Symphony, which fully automate pre-processing procedures from sorting to dispensing, as well as subsequent test procedures. This is the first such laboratory automation in the industry.

The Frontier bar code system enables automated sorting and dispensing of specimens.

Bar code labels identifying each specimen are read automatically so that the test request information can be checked. Automated specimen sorting in accordance with specific orders is made possible with the combination of the bar code system, conveyor lines and automated specimen dispensing.

Introduction of transportation with freeway robots

Robot transportation has been introduced to Symphony Chemistry and Symphony Hematology for supply and removal of specimens to and from analyzers. The robots are capable of trackless autonomous travel and freely transporting analytical specimens based on analyzer order information.

With Symphony Chemistry, biochemical tests are performed automatically on 9,000 specimens per hour.

Symphony Chemistry consists of 17 analytical devices and 10 robots in total and has a remarkably improved processing capacity. The system automatically performs biochemical tests of the samples dispensed by Frontier in the previous procedure.

With Symphony Hematology, hematologic tests are performed automatically on 4,500 specimens per hour.

In the Symphony Hematology, multiple automatic hematological test devices are arranged and routine hematologic tests (blood cell count, differential white blood cell count, reticulocyte count, blood cell count re-evaluation, automatic blood smear preparation, and sample preparation for leukocyte analyzers) are performed automatically. Similar to Symphony Chemistry, the specimens are supplied to and removed from the analyzer by robot transportation. The system facilitates large-scale and high-speed test performance similar to Symphony Chemistry.