Meeting summary
| "Laboratory Applications of Barcode Technology" |
We are inviting you to attend the Winter meeting of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Automation (ILA) interest group & Association of Laboratory Managers (ALMA) meeting. The topic is "Laboratory Applications of Barcode Technology". Presented by Daniel Cinicola*, Amgen, and LabAutomation 2011 short course instructor. |
| Why is this meeting important to you? |
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Barcodes are used for all manner of sample identification from test tubes to sample racks to room designation. As the item being identified changes so does the identifier being used. This discussion will go over the different ways barcodes are used from sample tracking to order entry and of course within automation.
If you are considering barcodes in your lab, this is a presentation that should be of use in your daily work. |
On February 15th the ILA Forum in cooperation with the ALMA, was treated to a presentation by Daniel Cinicola on the subject of barcodes in the laboratory. What was originally expected to be about a half hour presentation continued for an hour and a half of presentation and discussion.
During the meeting we we heard about the various types of barcodes that are available for laboratory use and how they being applied. These included various forms of linear barcodes, some of which are used as license plates on microtiter plates, and 2-D barcodes that can be applied to sample containers and give each sample container an individual identity. The strengths and weaknesses of these approaches was covered in detail along with references to vendor's hardware and software.
One topic that was covered with regard to 2-D barcodes was the use of various types of scanners, both flatbed and photographic, to map and interpret the barcode information.
Following the discussion of printed barcodes the subject of RFID's was raised. While initially touted as a highly useful technology in the press, the reality of RFID's due to technological and cost considerations hasn't matured. Those in attendance brought up issues from their own experiences about problems that occurred in distinguishing signals from RFID's when too many of them were too close together as is likely in sample tracking applications. Once the cost of RFID tags come down to a reasonable level, a penny or so each, we may see the benefits of this technology in the laboratory readings can be accomplished without interferences from other sample containers. In addition, the use of RFIDs to label and track equipment and physical files was discussed.
As a caution, Daniel pointed out that passports containing RFID chips can be easily read by someone passing by with a scanner. He cautioned that anyone traveling with the passport keep it in a folder that protects against the possibility of intrusion.
We would like to thank Daniel for his efforts in excellent presentation.
*Daniel Cinicola is a Senior Engineer at AMGEN in Cambridge MA, and an active member of the Boston LRIG chapter.
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