Abstract:
A method and system are provided for automatically positioning specimen containers and culture medium containers and transferring specimen samples from the containers to the culture medium. The samples are positioned at predetermined locations, and a sample is automatically streaked in a pattern on the culture medium after deposition of the sample. A means is also provided for establishing the predetermined locations by recording a position of a deposit location in a memory as deposit location data. Biological specimens such as a sample of bacteria are used in the method and system.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically transferring bacterial specimens from specimen containers to the surface of culture medium plates, and to streaking such bacterial samples in programmable patterns to produce isolated bacterial colonies. In particular, it provides for the precise deposition of an inoculant at a specific location on the surface of a culturing medium, and the subsequent re-entry of a streaking tool at this same location to effect streaking. It further provides a versatile system for varying the streaking procedure in accordance with the specimen being treated. This invention also relates to an apparatus and method for automatically removing the top of either “jar-type” specimen container or a “swab-type” container while simultaneously identifying the specimen. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     The isolation and identification of a sample of a bacterial specimen has for many years involved the inoculation of the sample onto a culture medium. The type of culture medium used and the method by which it is placed on the culture medium depends on the type of specimen being handled. 
     This invention relates in one aspect to two types of specimen containers. One type of specimen container, the “swab-type”, consists of a stylus- or wand-like stem attached to a cap removably fitted onto a separate, test-tube like container. A swab fixed at the opposite end of the stem from the cap is coated with and carries the bacterial specimen during transfer to the cultivating medium. The other type of specimen container, the “jar-type”, consists of a jar- or bottle-like vessel containing a liquid specimen, such as urine, a portion of which is to be transferred to inoculate the cultivating medium. 
     The receptacle containing the swab is typically a transparent tube having a closed end and an open end providing a narrow mouth. The swab shaft carries its absorbent pad —the swab tip— at the outer end of the stem remote from the cap end. While the stem extends into the tube from the cap when the cap is in place on the tube, variations in manufacturing may cause the stem to be deflected sideways. Hence, upon removal of the swab stem from the tube, the stem may deflect from alignment with the central axis of the cap causing the displacement of the swab tip sideways. The precise location of the swab relative to the cap and the axis of the cap will then be unknown. 
     Inoculation from a “swab-type” container requires identification of the specimen type, removal of the cap (with the stem and swab attached) from the receptacle and rolling the swab end (which is coated with the specimen) over a portion of the surface on a culture medium which is suited to the specimen. This transfer must occur at a specific deposit location and the sides of the swab should be equally exposed to the surface of the cultivating medium, without disrupting the surface, during transfer of bacteria to the deposit location. If the swab stem is bent, this operation is difficult to effect through automation. 
     An object of this invention is to effect inoculation of the cultivating medium at a deposit location whose position is recorded, followed by effecting streaking automatically, using the recorded deposit location to guide an automated streaking tool. 
     After inoculation occurs the swab is normally returned to its original container. In doing so the swab must be aligned with the mouth of the test-tube to prevent contamination of the exterior portion of the tube. This alignment must be arranged even when the swab stem is bent. 
     Inoculation from a “jar-type” container requires removal of the cap, extraction of a specified amount of liquid, e.g. urine, and placement of an amount of liquid onto the deposit location on the culture medium&#39;s surface. The container with its remaining liquid is then recapped and conveyed away for storage. 
     Inoculation from a “jar-type” container requires identification of the specimen (as by reading markings on the outside surface of the container), removal of the cap, extraction of a specified amount of urine, placement of that amount onto a defined area on the appropriate culture medium and recapping the jar. This procedure is time consuming, inconsistent and biohazardous. Automating the entire procedure would address all three of these concerns. Two critical parts of the inoculating process for the “jar-type” specimen container are the uncapping of the specimen container and the reading of the data imprinted on the container. 
     The isolation and identification of a specimen requires that the specimen sample be distributed or spread over the culture medium—“streaked”—in a one of several prescribed patterns that is correlated to the specific specimen. These patterns must provide an increasing dilution of the sample and are effected by a streaking tool. Once so streaked the prepared medium plates can then be incubated to promote bacterial growth. This bacterial growth can then be examined or subjected to further tests for isolation or identification of the bacteria type(s) present in the specimen. 
     Proper preparation of the media plates is biohazardous, time consuming and difficult to perform manually in a consistent manner. It is also difficult to maintain consistency between the techniques used by different technicians or even between different samples prepared by the same technician at different times. 
     An object of this invention is therefore to provide a method and apparatus for inoculating medical specimens from either the “swab-type” or “jar-type” containers onto culture media which closely simulates the effect of established manual procedures, but with improved consistency, accuracy and safety. 
     A further objective is to provide a method and apparatus for removing a specimen swab from a container, and to provide for reading data on the container. 
     A further objective is to provide a method in which a specimen swab, e.g. an elongate element, which is somewhat bent from its nominal position may be properly applied to the surface of a cultivating medium and then be reinserted into its originating receptable consistently and accurately. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for streaking bacterial samples in programmable patterns corresponding to the actual specimen being evaluated, which closely simulates the effect of established manual procedures, but with improved consistency, accuracy and safety. 
     Yet a further objective is to provide an efficient method and apparatus in which the cap of a jar-type container may be removed in parallel with reading data that has been imprinted, encoded or otherwise embedded on the container. An additional objective is to provide a method and apparatus in which the existence of a sufficient amount of liquid specimen in the container may be verified. 
     The invention in its general form will first be described, and then its implementation in terms of specific embodiments will be detailed with reference to the drawings following hereafter. These embodiments are intended to demonstrate the principle of the invention, and the manner of its implementation. The invention in its broadest and more specific forms will then be further described, and defined, in each of the individual claims which conclude this Specification. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of this invention provides an automated overall specimen container transport, handling and inoculating system which integrates and improves standard procedures and techniques for transferring bacteria to a cultivating medium, followed by streaking of such bacteria on such medium using automated means. Thus a specimen delivery system conveys a sample specimen to a deposit location on a culture medium, recording the location of the deposit location in a memory. A streaking mechanism then effects streaking using the recorded deposit location data to guide the streaking tool. 
     According to a further feature of the invention, the mechanism of the system may dispense culture media as called for by the specimen&#39;s embedded data and identify or label each dispensed container of media so that it can be correlated with its corresponding specimen. A sample of the bacterial specimen on a specimen carrier e.g., a swab or pipette, is then transferred to the culture medium by a specimen sample delivery system or “specimen delivery system”. Streaking is thereafter effected in accordance with the procedure appropriate for each specific specimen. 
     As indicated, a special feature of the invention is that a specimen delivery system which is computer controlled is used to convey the specimen from its original container to a deposit location on the culture medium. A computer controlled streaking tool carried by a streaking mechanism is then directed to the same deposit location based upon digitally stored data corresponding to the precise position of such deposit location. The streaking tool may then engage the culture medium and effect streaking in accordance with the pattern suited for the specific specimen with which the culture medium has been inoculated. 
     The specimen delivery system brings the specimen carrier with its bacterial sample in contact with the culture medium in a controlled manner which ensures that the bacteria are properly deposited at the deposit location. For “swab-type” specimens comprising a stylus- or wand-like swab stem attached to a cap and carrying a swab coated with the bacterial specimen, the swab is so “fixtured” that when it is brought into contact with its corresponding culture medium, the transfer of bacteria occurs at the deposit location in the correct manner. 
     To achieve such fixturing of the swab according to one feature of the invention, a capped swab-containing receptacle is first placed into a holding fixture by a robot manipulator. The same manipulator then grasps the cap and withdraws it and the attached swab stem from the mouth of the receptacle. The swab and swab stem are then presented to a tip location device. The exact location of the swab located at the stem tip and its orientation with respect to the cap&#39;s position is determined by a visual examination effected by the tip location device. This exact tip location with respect to the end effector of the grasping manipulator is then stored in a digital memory to subsequently be used to control the specimen delivery system in positioning the swab on the culture medium at the deposit location in order to properly inoculate that medium. Then the specimen delivery system is used to reinsert the swab into the receptacle, again using the digitally stored data defining the location of the swab at the stem tip to ensure that the swab passes into the mouth of its container without contaminating its rim or exterior surface. 
     In one embodiment, the swab tip is located using a camera and a single back-lighted surface. A 90° rotation about the axis of the element is effected and two images are taken by the camera to establish the location of the swab tip. In another embodiment, the swab tip is located using a single camera image frame, two mirrors, and two back-lighted surfaces whereby two separate views of the swab tip are effected simultaneously. In yet another embodiment, a laser range camera may be used to scan and establish the location of the swab tip. From these measurement procedures the location of the tip is determined and stored in the memory of the digital controller. 
     The swab tip is then carried by the specimen positioning system to the deposit location whereat the outer surface of the swab is rolled against the surface of the culture medium to transfer bacteria to the deposit location. During this transfer, the swab in one variant is fixtured to maintain the required degree of contact with the culture medium surface by the action of the specimen delivery system in adjusting the location of the cap laterally while the cap is being rotated. This adjustment is effected using the data for the location of the swab tip with respect to the cap, as stored in the digital memory. 
     Rather than so controlling the position of the cap while it is being rotated, the cap may be rotated at a stationary location if the swab tip is mechanically fixtured to ensure that it is positioned along the axis of rotation of the cap. This may be effected by extending a guide, such as a wire with a loop, from the specimen delivery system so that the loop guides the swab tip into alignment with the axis of rotation of the cap during transfer of bacteria to the culture medium. 
     For “jar-type” containers, once its cap is removed, the specimen delivery system uses a pipetting tool as the specimen sample carrier to extract a volume of liquid from the open container and then deposit a volume of this liquid onto the surface of the culture medium at the deposit location. Again, the specimen carrier —the pipetting tool—is so fixtured that the robot manipulator as the specimen delivery system places the specimen precisely at the deposit location. As previously described, the position of the deposit location in space is recorded in a digital memory for subsequent use in further operations. 
     To present the jar-type containers to the specimen positioning system, a container manipulating device grasps the cap of the specimen container while the container is rotated by a rotating jar holder. The container manipulating device raises and removes the cap of the specimen container to one side once the rotating holder for the container has rotated it sufficiently so as to cause the cap and the receptacle to disengage. During this rotational motion, a scanning device located to one side of the holder/reader platform may conveniently read specimen-identifying indicia that has been previously imprinted, encoded or otherwise embedded on the side of the specimen container. A similar procedure may also be provided for reading indicia carried on the side of tubes containing swabs. 
     Provision is included for verifying the amount of specimen in the container. Provision is also provided for replacing the cap on the receptacle of the specimen container after the sample has been extracted. 
     As a particularly convenient arrangement, a jar-type container may be delivered to its lid-opening station on a conveyor, and the removal of the lid and extraction of a specimen sample may be effected with the jar container remaining on and supported by the conveyor. 
     Once a sample of bacteria has been transferred to the deposit location, streaking is then effected by a streaking tool which is carried by the streaking mechanism to the deposit location. The control system for the streaking tool uses digitally stored data in order to carry the streaking tool to the deposit location, optionally using a common robotic manipulator. The streaking pattern then effected is computer controlled to correspond with the identity of the specimen as obtained from the specimen container. 
     The deposit location, whether by application from a swab container or jar-type container can be stored in a suitable “memory” plus also specimen identification. 
     The streaking apparatus of the invention with its computer control system is versatile and may adopt a full range of streaking patterns. This feature, combined with the capacity to accept specimens in differing types of containers renders the apparatus of the invention highly versatile. 
    
    
     The foregoing summaries the principal features of the invention and some of its optional aspects. The invention may be further understood by the description of the preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the drawings, which now follow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1A is a pictorial view of a combined inoculation and streaking apparatus for accepting samples in both swab-type and jar-type container formats. 
     FIG. 1B is a plan view of FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 1C is an enlarged pictorial view of FIG. La showing the removal of a swab from its tube. 
     FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of an inoculating and streaking apparatus for handling swab-type specimens. 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of an inoculating and streaking apparatus for handling jar-type urine samples. 
     FIGS. 4A through 4C are successive pictorial depictions of the removal of a swab from a tube. 
     FIG. 5 is a pictorial depiction of the viewing of a swab to determine the location of its tip. 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B depict pictorially the reinsertion of the swab into its tube. 
     FIG. 7 is a pictorial depiction of a video camera viewing a swab suspended by a robotic gripper against a back lit surface panel. 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of the geometry for the extraction of the location of the swab tip being viewed in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a pictorial depiction of a video camera viewing a swab suspended by a robotic gripper against a series of mirrored rear panels. 
     FIG. 10 is a plan view of the geometry for the extraction of the location of the swab tip being viewed in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a pictorial view of a laser/ranger video camera extracting the location of a swab tip in space. 
     FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a “jar-type” specimen container carrying identifying indicia on its side. 
     FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a part of one form of uncapping and data-reading apparatus for use with a jar-type container. 
     FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the uncapping and data reading apparatus of FIG. 13 with the lid grasped by a lid holder and the capped jar body held in place by the jar manipulating device. 
     FIGS. 15-17 are sequential isometric views of the uncapping and data reading apparatus of FIG. 13 as the jar is uncapped and the data is read. 
     FIG. 18 is a pictorial view of jar-type containers being delivered on a conveyor to a de-capping station. 
     FIG. 19 is a plan view of FIG.  18 . 
     FIG. 20 is an isometric view of the delivery of culture medium dishes to the inoculation location of the streaking apparatus. 
     FIG. 21 is an isometric view of the inoculation location of FIG. 20 with the streaking mechanism in position over the exposed culture medium to effect streaking. 
     FIGS. 22A and 22B depict a fixturing mechanism for the swab tip which is slid-down the swab stem. 
     FIGS. 23A and 23B depict a fixturing mechanism for the swab tip using a clam-type grasping action. 
     FIGS. 24A,  24 B and  25 C show the transfer to a culture medium of a bacterial specimen from a swab tip fixtured as shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B. 
     FIGS. 25A,  25 B and  25 C show the transfer to a culture medium of a bacterial specimen from a swab tip fixtured by controlled displacement of the holder grasping the swab cap. 
     FIG. 26 illustrates one form of streak pattern. 
     FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram of the control functions linking the active elements of the system to a digital controller. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring generally to the drawings, FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the automated system having a conveyor system  1  for transporting specimen containers  2  into the system. The manipulating device  11  in the form of a robotic arm is used to grasp a specimen container  2  and move it in front of a specimen identification device  4 . Electronic data from a label  209  on the specimen container read by the specimen identification device  4  is used to determine the type of culture medium plate  9  to be ejected from the plate dispenser  5 . 
     The plate delivery system  10  carries the culture medium plate  9  to the plate identification device  6  which applies a label to the plate container. The robotic manipulating device  11 , depending on whether it picks up a “swab type” holder or a “jar-type” holder, places the specimen container into either a “swab-type” holder  7  or a “jar-type” holder  8 . The selection of a “swab-type” holder or a “jar-type” holder can be made manually, or under the control of a computer or other selecting device. The manipulating device  11  removes the cap from the specimen container. A “swab-type” stem  21  is presented to a tip location device  12  and then swings the swab stem  21  to the culture medium plate  9  which is inoculated. A “jar-type” specimen will have a specified amount of liquid extracted using a pipette  70  which is picked up by the manipulator and moved to inoculate the culture medium plate  9  that has been placed at the inoculation station  68 . 
     Handling of a swab-type container is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4A through  6 B wherein the cap  22  and swab stem  21  are depicted, initially within, and then being removed from the test-tube receptacle  20 . FIG. 4C shows the cap  22  and swab stem  21  entirely removed from the test-tube receptacle  20  and demonstrates the possible tip  21 A displacement of the swab stem  21 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the cap  22  and swab stem  21  as they are being presented to a camera-based tip location device  30 . 
     FIG. 7 shows the perspective view of the double snapshot tip location setup  12 . This embodiment consists of the manipulating device  11  which grasps the cap  22  attached to one end of the swab stem  21 . The manipulating device  11  moves the swab stem  21  to a position between a camera  30  and a back light panel  40 . The camera  30  and back light panel  40  are rigidly fixtured by a mounting bracket  50 . The first snapshot is taken by the electronic camera  30 , the manipulating device  11  rotates the cap  22  and swab stem  21  through 90° about the long axis of the cap  22 , and then the second snapshot is taken. The images so obtained are then electronically processed in a digital computer control unit  344  to determine the location in space of the tip  21 A with respect to the gripper  66  attached to manipulator  11 . 
     FIG. 8 shows the geometric layout of the double snapshot tip location setup  12 . The pertinent angles and distances are defined and the accompanying equations can be found in Equation Sets 1 and 2 included hereafter. These equations are used by the computer to solve for the tip location. 
     FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the single snapshot tip location setup. This embodiment consists of a manipulating device  11  which grasps the cap  22  attached to one end of the swab stem  21 . The manipulating device  11  moves the swab stem  21  to a position between a camera  30  with dual back light panels,  40 , 41  mounted on either side of the camera  30 , and two mirrors,  60 , 61  positioned to form an enclosure around the swab stem  21 . The mirrors are angled to each other at 90°. The camera  30  is placed such that its optical axis bisects the angle formed by the two mirrors  60 ,  61 . Back light panel  41  is placed to form a 90° angle with mirror  61  and back light panel  40  is placed to form a 90° angle with mirror  60 . The back light panels  40 , 41  must be narrow enough to leave a gap through which the camera  30  can view the mirrors  60 ,  61 . 
     FIG. 10 shows the geometric layout of the single snapshot tip location setup. The pertinent angles and distances are defined and the accompanying equations can be found in Equation Set 2. From the input locational data obtained by camera  30  for the tip  21 A, the location of the tip is solved by the computer using Equation Set 2. 
     Equation Set 1: 
     
       
         N=The nominal elongate element tip positions. 
       
     
     
       
         P 1 =Snapshot 1 elongate element tip position. 
       
     
     
       
         P 2 =Snapshot 2 elongate element tip position. 
       
     
     
       
         
           
             
               
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     Equation Set 2:            α   =       tan     -   1            [     A   im     ]         ;                β   =           tan     -   1            [     B   im     ]                     γ     =     135   -   β         ;                δ   =     135   -   α                              ξ   =     90   -     2                 α         ;                η   =       90   -     2                 β                 θ       =     90   +   α         ;                φ   =         90   ÷   β                   k     =     i   -   j         ;             h   =       obj   -     i                 d       =       sin                 45   ×   obj       sin                 δ           ;                c   =       sin                 45   ×   obj       sin                 γ                   i   =       sin                 η   ×   c       sin                 φ         ;                j   =           sin                 ξ   ×   d       sin                 θ                     g     =       k   ×     sin        (     90   -   α     )           sin        (     α   +   β     )                       P   =       The                 tip                 position                 β     &lt;   α       ;                P   =     (       h   +     g                   cos        (     90   -   β     )           ,       -   g                   sin        (     90   -   β     )                       β   &gt;   α     ;                P   =     (       h   +     g                   cos        (     90   -   β     )           ,     g                 sin        (     90   -   β     )                                    
     FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the alternate laser range camera tip location setup. This embodiment consists of a manipulating device  11  which grasps the cap  22  attached to one end of the swab stem  21 . The manipulating device  11  moves the swab stem  21  to a position in front of the laser range scanning camera  70 . The laser range camera  70  is mounted on a linear slide  51  which is attached to a mounting bracket  50 A. The linear slide  51  moves the laser range scanning camera  70  vertically while it collects data on range to the swab stem  21  which is compiled into a profile of the element tip. An alternative setup would have the camera  70  rigidly attached to the mounting bracket  50 A and the scan would be accomplished by having the manipulating device  11  move the swab stem  21  with a straight line motion in the vertical direction. In either case, the location of the tip  21 A in space may then be determined by the computer. 
     In FIG. 2 the manipulator  11  has carried the swab stem  21  with its tip  21 A to the inoculation station  68  holding one or more culture plates  9 . Multiple plates having differing culture media may sometimes be specified by the requisitioning doctor. 
     The stem  21  also may be fixtured as shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B by a confining rod  61  that is slid down the stem  21  to centrally position the tip  21 A about the axis  62  for rotation of the cap  22 . 
     Alternately, grasping fingers  63  may seize and center the stem  21  (FIGS. 23A,  23 B). 
     At the inoculation station  68  (FIG. 1B) the swab tip  21 A is presented to the surface  64  of the culture medium in the plates  9  in either of the manners shown in FIGS. 24A through 25C. In FIGS. 24A through 24C the swab stem  21  is rotated about the axis of the stem to roll the tip  21 A on the surface  64  at the deposit location  65 . Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 25A through 25C the gripper  66  on manipulator  11  may be displaced in space while the cap  22  is rotated, under the control of the computer control unit  344 , ensuring that the tip  21 A rotates about a constant axis  62 A at the deposit location  65 . The deposit location  65  is predetermined and is located by the computer controlling the movement of the swab tip  21 A, or the pipette  70 . This location  65  can, of course, be stored in a memory and can be associated with sample identity and the particular culture medium plate  9 . 
     FIG. 6A shows the cap  22  and swab stem  21  with the tip  21 A of the swab stem  21  being returned to its tube  20 , being centred above the open end of the test-tube receptacle by the end effector/gripper  61  of the manipulating device  11 , again under control of the computer control unit  344 . In FIG. 6B the cap  22  and swab stem  21  have been completely replaced in the test-tube receptacle  20 . 
     FIG. 12 illustrates a “jar-type” specimen container having a jar- or bottle-like vessel or receptacle  210 , a separate cap  211  which may be affixed to the receptacle and an area  209  which has been imprinted, encoded or otherwise embedded with pertinent information regarding the specimen. 
     FIG. 13 illustrates one type of holder/reader apparatus  8  with a motor enclosure  212 , three slender grasping fingers  213 ,  214  and  215  and the container platform  216  used for decapping a jar. The scanner device  218  is mounted on the support bracket  217 . 
     FIG. 14 illustrates how the cap  211  of the specimen container is grasped by the cap removal device  219  after the jar  210  is placed on the container platform  216 . The grasping fingers  213 ,  214  and  215  close about the container receptacle  210  and the jar  210  is rotated. 
     FIGS. 15-17 illustrate the rotational motion of the platform  216  and fingers  213 ,  214 ,  215  which cause the receptacle  210  to turn as well. Once the cap  211  and container  210  are disengaged, the manipulating device  219  moves the cap  211  with a positive vertical motion allowing the cap  211  and receptacle  210  to become separated. At the same time, the rotational motion of the receptacle  210  will cause the imprinted area  209  to be presented to the window  220  reading device  218  at some point during the revolution to effect recordal of the indicia thereon. The liquid specimen contained within the jar  210  may then be sampled to inoculate a culture medium. 
     After retrieval of a sample, the cap  211  is replaced on the receptacle  210  by the reverse activation of the cap removal device  219 . 
     An alternate decapping mechanism for jars is shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. 
     A jar  210  carried on a conveyor  400  is delivered to a reading station  411  where the jar  210  is grasped by four rollers  406 , one of which,  406 A, is driven by motor  402 . As the jar  210  is rotated by the powered roller  406 A, the indicia  209  carried on its side are read by the reader  403 . Throughout rotation the jar  210  remains on the conveyor  400 . One form of indicia could be a bar code, which can provide an indication of the streak pattern. 
     The jar  210  is then advanced by the jar conveyor  400  to a de-capping station  412 . There rollers  405  again grasp the jar  210  while a cap-holding mechanism  407  grasps the cap  211 . One of the rollers  405 A driven by motor  401  rotates the jar body while the cap  211  is held against rotation by the cap-holding mechanism  407 . Once sufficient rotation has occurred to effect disengagement, the cap  211  is raised from the jar  210  and the cap-holding mechanism  407  retires from the de-capping site  412  carrying the cap  211  with it. This exposes the specimen contents of the jar  210  for removal of a sample. After retrieval of a sample, the cap is repositioned over the receptacle by mechanism  407  and rotation of the receptacle, in a reverse direction by roller  405 A reapplies the cap. 
     As shown in FIG. 3 the manipulator  11  grasps a pipette  70  from its storage station and extracts a quantity of liquid from the opened container  210 . This liquid is then placed on the agar surface  64  on the plate  9  at a deposit location  65 . The manipulator then moves the pipette to a disposal station (not shown) where the pipette tip is discarded and a new sterile tip installed. The pipette  70  is then used again or returned to its storage station in the case of the versatile swab/jar system of FIG. 1A when a swab is next in line for inoculation. 
     FIG. 20 illustrates the delivery of a culture medium container (in the form of a plate  310 ) carried on a conveyor  340 , or dispensed by a plate dispenser as at 5 in FIG. 1A, to a transfer location  350  opposite an inoculation and streaking station  341 . The culture medium plate  310  is inverted at the transfer location  350  with its lid on the downward side. Two clamping arms  315 , 316  rotationally transfer the plate  310 , without its lid and containing an agar or similar coating, to the inoculation and streaking station  68  with its agar coated surface  64  upwardly exposed. Alternatively, the rotational arms may be outfitted with suction cups to separate the plate from its lid. 
     At the inoculation and streaking station  341  rails  311 , 312  support a cross motion beam  313  which, in turn, carries the streaking tool  314 . As shown in FIG. 21 the rails  311 , 312  provide for effecting motion in the +/− X direction. Cross motion beam  313  supports the streaking tool  314  and provides for motions in the +/− Y and +/− Z directions. 
     Streaking, as shown in FIG. 21 and 26, occurs by the presentation of the streaking tool  314  to the deposit location  65 , once the plate  310  has received the transfer of its bacterial specimen as in FIG.  21 . Once the sterile tip portion  345  of the streaking tool  314 , enters onto the agar surface  64  at the deposit location  65 , the tool  314  executes a streaking pattern, controlled by the computer control unit  344  (FIG. 20) that corresponds with the specimen&#39;s identification. Since the streaking tool  314  is mounted on an actuated platform that can produce relative motion between the arm  313  and the plate  310  in two independent directions, it is made to move through a user-defined, two-dimensional pattern that has been programmed into the streaking actuator&#39;s computer-managed control unit  344 . Such a pattern can have been obtained from a bar code on the container  2 , and one form of pattern  351  is shown in FIG.  26 . 
     The tip  345  of the streaking tool  314  contacts the surface  64  of the culture medium at precisely the deposit location  65  based on the stored data carried within the computer control unit  344 . This data corresponds to the location whereat the manipulator  11  effected deposit of the bacterial specimen which is also stored in the memory of the computer control unit  344 . Once the tip  345  of the spreading head makes contact with the surface  64  of the culture medium the appropriate streaking pattern  351  is executed in response to commands from the computer control unit  344 . 
     After the streaking operation, the culture medium plate  310  is returned to the lid. Where prescribed by the programmed protocol contained in the computer control unit  344 , after execution of a first streaking pattern, the streaking tool  314  may be lifted until the head is clear of the culture medium&#39;s surface and another plate  310  with a fresh agar spreading surface  64  may be presented to the inoculation and streaking station  341 . Further inoculation with the same specimen sample may then be optionally effected. Alternately, multiple plates  8  may be presented at parallel streaking stations as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2. 
     A feature of the streaker mechanism is that, due to its simple mechanical configuration and computer control system, the streaking head  314  as shown in FIGS. 20 and 26 spans a planar space that covers as much of the culture medium surface as is required, and is totally versatile as to the streaking patterns  351  it may execute. The streaking patterns  351  chosen may conveniently vary with and correspond to the identity of the specimen from which the culture being streaked was obtained. 
     FIG. 27 shows schematically the linkages between the various operating mechanism and the controlling sources that issue the necessary command signals. 
     It will be appreciated that the various movements of the several items would normally be controlled from a central controller, a computer control, and which would also receive and record various items of data obtained during operation. Thus for example, the positioning of the culture medium containers, the sample containers, the gripping mechanism, pipette mechanism, the viewing of the swabs of swab-type containers, the deposition of samples in the culture medium surface, the actuation of cap removal mechanisms, data reading systems, the streaking and other movements would be under control of the central controller, with feeding of data to and from the control. Positional and identifying data can be retrieved from the central control, as desired. 
     FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic representation of a control system, with various items linked. Some of the elements have been identified with appropriate references, relating to such elements in the previous disclosure. It will be understood that this diagrammatic representation is only typical and can vary without affecting the actual operation of the apparatus, this being controlled eventually by the control software. Particularly, the apparatus and method of the invention is flexible, and capable of handling both swab-type and jar-type specimen holders intermixed. 
     CONCLUSION 
     The foregoing has constituted a description of specific embodiments showing how the invention may be applied and put into use. These embodiments are only exemplary. The invention in its broadest, and more specific aspects, is further described and defined in the claims which now follow. 
     These claims, and the language used therein, are to be understood in terms of the variants of the invention which have been described. They are not to be restricted to such variants, but are to be read as covering the full scope of the invention as is implicit within the invention and the disclosure that has been provided herein.