Patent Publication Number: US-7900658-B2

Title: Automated drug preparation apparatus including drug vial handling, venting, cannula positioning functionality

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to medical and pharmaceutical equipment, and more particularly, to an automated system for preparing a drug delivery device, and to an automated system having automated means for positioning a vented cannula with respect to a drug vial and to handling the vial according to stored protocols. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Disposable syringes are in widespread use for a number of different types of applications. For example, syringes are used not only to withdraw a fluid (e.g., blood) from a patient but also to administer a medication to a patient. In the latter, a cap or the like is removed from the syringe and a unit dose of the medication is carefully measured and then injected or otherwise disposed within the syringe. 
     As technology advances, more and more sophisticated, automated systems are being developed for preparing and delivering medications by integrating a number of different stations, with one or more specific tasks being performed at each station. For example, one type of exemplary automated system operates as a syringe filling apparatus that receives user inputted information, such as the type of medication, the volume of the medication and any mixing instructions, etc. The system then uses this inputted information to disperse the correct medication into the syringe up to the inputted volume. 
     In some instances, the medication that is to be delivered to the patient includes more than one pharmaceutical substance. For example, the medication can be a mixture of several components, such as several pharmaceutical substances. 
     By automating the medication preparation process, increased production and efficiency are achieved. This results in reduced production costs and also permits the system to operate over any time period of a given day with only limited operator intervention for manual inspection to ensure proper operation is being achieved. Such a system finds particular utility in settings, such as large hospitals, including a large number of doses of medications that must be prepared daily. Traditionally, these doses have been prepared manually in what is an exacting but tedious responsibility for a highly skilled staff. In order to be valuable, automated systems must maintain the exacting standards set by medical regulatory organizations, while at the same time simplifying the overall process and reducing the time necessary for preparing the medications. 
     Because syringes are used often as the carrier means for transporting and delivering the medication to the patient, it is advantageous for these automated systems to be tailored to accept syringes. However, the previous methods of dispersing the medication from the vial and into the syringe were very time consuming and labor intensive. More specifically, medications and the like are typically stored in a vial that is sealed with a safety cap or the like. In conventional medication preparation, a trained person retrieves the correct vial from a storage cabinet or the like, confirms the contents and then removes the safety cap manually. This is typically done by simply popping the safety cap off with one&#39;s hands. Once the safety cap is removed, the trained person inspects the integrity of the membrane and cleans the membrane. An instrument, e.g., a needle, is then used to pierce the membrane and withdraw the medication contained in the vial. The withdrawn medication is then placed into a syringe to permit subsequent administration of the medication from the syringe. 
     If the medication needs to be reconstituted, the medication initially comes in a solid form and is contained in an injectable drug vial and then the proper amount of diluent is added and the vial is agitated to ensure that all of the solid goes into solution, thereby providing a medication having the desired concentration. The drug vial is typically stored in a drug cabinet or the like and is then delivered to other stations where it is processed to receive the diluent. 
     One of the limitations with automated drug preparation devices is that the preparation of the medication requires great precision and the handling of drug vials requires care since the delivery and/or aspiration of fluid can result in spattering of the fluid and, thus, loss of the medication which adversely affects the final volume of the dosage and also, if the cannula is not properly vented during the process, it will not be possible to aspirate the medication from the vial. To automate the interaction between the cannula and vial, knowledge of the vial construction, especially the septum, is desired to limit or eliminate coring and other undesirable events from occurring. 
     What is needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is a system and method for automating the medication preparation process and more specifically, an automated system and method for preparing a syringe including the filling of medication therein, as well as a number of safety features that improve the integrity of the process. 
     SUMMARY 
     An automated medication preparation system for preparing a prescribed dosage of medication in a drug delivery device includes a plurality of stations for receiving, handling and processing the drug delivery device so that the prescribed dosage of medication is delivered to the drug delivery device and a transporting device that receives and holds more than one drug delivery device and moves the drug delivery devices in a controlled manner from one station to another station. The system is configured so that two or more separate drug delivery devices can be acted upon at the same time. 
     In yet another embodiment, a method of withdrawing a precise amount of drug from a drug vial in an automated manner includes the steps of: (a) identifying the type of drug vial being used; (b) accessing a database to retrieve stored vial characteristics that are associated with the identified drug vial; (c) positioning a vented cannula relative to the drug vial based on the stored vial characteristics such that in a first mode of operation, a vent port of the vented cannula is open and the drug vial is vented to atmosphere and in a second mode of operation, the vent port is closed; and (d) drawing the precise amount of drug from the drug vial. 
     In another aspect, a method of withdrawing a drawing a prescribed dosage of medication from a drug vial includes the steps of: (a) identifying the type of drug vial being used; (b) accessing a database to retrieve stored vial identification information that is associated with the identified drug vial, the vial identification information includes dimensions of a septum of the drug vial; (c) retrieving a thickness of the septum from the stored septum dimensions; (d) calculating, based on the thickness of the septum, a first position of a vented cannula in a first mode of operation where both an open tip of the vented cannula and the vent port clear the septum and are located in an interior chamber of the vial; (e) calculating, based on the thickness of the septum, a second position of the vented needle in the second mode of operation where only the open tip end clears the septum and is located in the interior chamber; (f) first positioning the vented needle in the first mode of operation and drawing a first volume of the medication; and (g) subsequently positioning the vented needle in the second mode of operation where only an open tip of the vented cannula clears the septum and the vent port is closed and drawing a second volume of medication that is substantially less than the first volume and where a sum of the first and second volumes is equal to a total volume of the prescribed dosage of medication. 
     Further aspects and features of the exemplary automated drug preparation system disclosed herein can be appreciated from the appended Figures and accompanying written description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a housing that contains an automated drug delivery system that prepares a dosage of medication to be administered to a patient; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic plan view of the automated system for preparing a medication to be administered to a patient; 
         FIG. 3  is a local perspective view of an automated device for removing or replacing the safety tip cap from the syringe; 
         FIG. 4  is a local perspective view of a device for extending a plunger of the syringe; 
         FIG. 5  is a local perspective view of fluid transfer and vial preparation equipment in a fluid transfer area of the automated system; 
         FIG. 6  is a local perspective view of first and second fluid delivery devices that form a part of the system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a local perspective view of a multi-use vial holding station and a vial weigh station; 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a drug vial; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a drug vial with a vented cannula in a first position where the vent is active; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of a drug vial with the vented cannula in a second position where the vent is inactive; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a syringe with its cap removed contained in a sealed package; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a syringe with it cap attached contained in a sealed package; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of drug delivery directly from a drug vial by extending the plunger of a syringe with an automated mechanism; 
         FIG. 14  is a computer screen image of an input page for entering information related to a drug dilution order; 
         FIG. 15  is a graph of the data obtained by a load cell for determining a weight of the contents of the vial to ensure proper reconstitution of the medication; 
         FIG. 16A  is a side cross-sectional view of laser assembly for determining a liquid volume in a syringe or the like; 
         FIG. 16B  is a side cross-sectional view of a camera view of the syringe with an offset laser line that represents the location of the liquid; 
         FIG. 17  is a side cross-sectional view of an apparatus for measuring fluid level by water absorbance; 
         FIG. 18  is a side cross-sectional view of an apparatus for measuring fluid volume by capacitive sensors; 
         FIG. 19  is a side cross-sectional view of an apparatus for measuring fluid level with a camera; 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic view of a motion control system for controlling movement of a cannula and its interaction with another object; 
         FIG. 21  is a schematic view of the parts of a cannula; 
         FIG. 22  is a schematic view of the parts of a drug vial; 
         FIGS. 23   a - g  show various types of cannula interactions with a septum of the vial; 
         FIGS. 24   a - e  show various types of cannula interactions with a vial; and 
         FIGS. 25   a - d  show various types of cannula interactions with a syringe. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is perspective view of a housing  1300  that is constructed to house an automated drug preparation and delivery system  100  in a sealed, controlled environment when the housing structure is closed (sealed). A user interface, such as a computer,  1303  is provided to permit an operator not only to enter information, such as drug orders, but also to monitor the progress and operation of the system  100 . The housing  1300  and its components are described in greater detail below. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating one exemplary automated system, generally indicated at  100 , for the preparation of a medication. The automated system  100  is divided into a number of stations where a specific task is performed based on the automated system  100  receiving user input instructions, processing these instructions and then preparing unit doses of one or more medications in accordance with the instructions. The automated system  100  includes a station  110  where medications and other substances used in the preparation process are stored. As used herein, the term “medication” refers to a medicinal preparation for administration to a patient. Often, the medication is initially stored as a solid, e.g., a powder, to which a diluent is added to form a medicinal composition. Thus, the station  110  functions as a storage unit for storing one or medications, etc., under proper storage conditions. Typically, medications and the like are stored in sealed containers, such as vials, that are labeled to clearly indicate the contents of each vial. The vials are typically stored in columns and further, empty vials can be stored in one column. The station  110  includes a mechanism that permits the controlled discharge of a selected drug vial  60 . 
     A first station  120  is a syringe storage station that houses and stores a number of syringes. For example, up to 500 syringes or more can be disposed in the first station  120  for storage and later use. The first station  120  can be in the form of a bin or the like or any other type of structure than can hold a number of syringes. In one exemplary embodiment, the syringes are provided as a bandolier structure that permits the syringes to be fed into the other components of the system  100  using standard delivery techniques, such as a conveyor belt, etc. 
     The system  100  also includes an apparatus  130  for advancing the fed syringes to and from various stations of the system  100 . The apparatus  130  can be a rotary device, as shown, or it can be a linear apparatus, or it can assume some other shape. For purposes of illustration only, the apparatus  130  is discussed and shown as being a rotary device; however, it is not limited to such a configuration and therefore, the present disclosure is not limiting of the scope of the present invention. 
     A number of the stations are arranged circumferentially around the rotary apparatus  130  so that the syringe is first loaded at the first station  120  and then rotated a predetermined distance to a next station, etc., as the medication preparation process advances. At each station, a different operation is performed with the end result being that a unit dose of medication is disposed within the syringe that is then ready to be administered. 
     One exemplary type of rotary apparatus  130  is a multiple station cam-indexing dial that is adapted to perform material handling operations. The indexer is configured to have multiple stations positioned thereabout with individual nests for each station position. One syringe is held within one nest using any number of suitable techniques, including opposing spring-loaded fingers that act to clamp the syringe in its respective nest. The indexer permits the rotary apparatus  130  to be advanced at specific intervals. 
     At a second station  140 , the syringes are loaded into one of the nests or the like of the rotary apparatus  130 . One syringe is loaded into one nest of the rotary apparatus  130  in which the syringe is securely held in place. The system  100  preferably includes additional mechanisms for preparing the syringe for use, such as removing a tip cap and extending a plunger of the syringe at a third station  150  as described below. At this point, the syringe is ready for use. 
     The system  100  also preferably includes a reader  151  that is capable of reading a label disposed on the sealed container containing the medication. The label is read using any number of suitable reader/scanner/camera devices  151 , such as a bar code reader, etc., so as to confirm that the proper medication has been selected from the storage unit of the station  110 . Multiple readers can be employed in the system at various locations to confirm the accuracy of the entire process. Once the system  100  confirms that the sealed container (drug vial  60 ) that has been selected contains the proper medication, the vial  60  is delivered to a station  550  using an automated mechanism, such a robotic gripping device, as will be described in greater detail. At the station  550 , the vial  60  is prepared by removing the safety cap from the sealed container and then cleaning the exposed end of the vial. Preferably, the safety cap is removed on a deck of the automated system  100  having a controlled environment. In this manner, the safety cap is removed just-in-time for use. Exemplary vial cap removal devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,903, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. In addition, the vial cap can be removed by other devices, such as one which has a member with suction (vacuum) capabilities incorporated therein for removing the cap. In this embodiment, the suction member is applied to the vial cap and then the suction is activated and then the robotic arm that is gripping and hold the vial body itself is twisted while the drug vial cap is under suction, thus prying the cap from its seal. The cap is still held by suction on the member until the suction is released at which time the cap falls into a trash bin. 
     The system  100  also preferably includes a fourth station (fluid transfer station)  170  for injecting or delivering a diluent into the medication contained in the sealed container and then subsequently mixing the medication and the diluent to form the medication composition that is to be disposed into the prepared syringe. Alternatively, the station  170  can controllably deliver a predetermined dosage of pre-made medication. At this fluid transfer station  170 , the prepared medication composition is withdrawn from the container (i.e., vial) and is then delivered into the syringe. For example, a cannula can be inserted into the sealed vial and the medication composition then aspirated into a cannula set. The cannula is then withdrawn from the vial and is then rotated relative to the rotary apparatus  130  so that it is in line with (above, below, etc.) the syringe. The unit dose of the medication composition is then delivered to the syringe, as well as additional diluent, if necessary or desired. This is referred to as a vial mode of operation where reconstitution of a drug is performed. The tip cap is then placed back on the syringe at a station  180 . A station  190  prints and station  195  applies a label to the syringe and a device, such as a reader, can be used to verify that this label is placed in a correct location and the printing thereon is readable. Also, the reader can confirm that the label properly identifies the medication composition that is contained in the syringe and thus performs a safety check. The syringe is then unloaded from the rotary apparatus  130  at an unloading station  200  and delivered to a predetermined location, such as a new order bin, a conveyor, a sorting device, or a reject bin. The delivery of the syringe can be accomplished using a standard conveyor or other type of apparatus. If the syringe is provided as a part of the previously-mentioned syringe bandolier, the bandolier is cut prior at a station  198  located prior to the unloading station  200 . 
     It will be appreciated that an initial labeling station  153  prior to the drug delivery station  170  (e.g., a station right after the load station  120 ) can be provided for applying a label with a unique identifier, such as a barcode, that uniquely identifies the syringe so that it can be tracked at any location as it is advanced from one station to another station. In other words, a reader  155  downstream of the initial labeling station  153  reads the unique identifier and associates the unique identifier with this particular syringe  10 . This permits each drug order to be assigned one particular uniquely identified syringe which is logged into and tracked by the computer. 
     A robotic device is provided for moving objects relative to the transporter device (dial  130 ) and in particular, the robotic device can deliver and/or remove objects, such as the syringe  10  or the drug vials  60 , relative to the dial  130 . The robotic device thus typically has a gripper mechanism, such as a pair of grippers, for grasping and holding the object. 
       FIGS. 2-5  illustrate parts of the third station  150  for preparing a syringe  10 , the fluid transfer station  170 , and the station  180  for preparing the syringe for later use. As is known, a conventional syringe  10  includes a barrel  20  into which fluid is injected and contained and at a barrel tip, a cap  40  is provided to close off the barrel  20 . A plunger  50  is slidingly received within the barrel  20  for both drawing fluid into the barrel and discharging fluid therefrom. 
       FIGS. 2-5  thus illustrate in more detail the stations and automated devices that are used in removal of the tip cap  40  from the barrel tip, the filling of barrel chamber with medication and the replacement of the tip cap  40  on the barrel tip.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an automated device  300  at station  150  that removes the tip cap  40  from the barrel tip as the syringe  10  is prepared for receiving a prescribed dose of medication at station  170  of the automated medication preparation system  100 . The device  300  is a controllable device that is operatively connected to a control unit, such as a computer, which drives the device  300  to specific locations at selected times. The control unit can be a personal computer that runs one or more programs to ensure coordinated operation of all of the components of the system  100 . The device  300  and other suitable devices described in greater detail in U.S. Ser. No. 10/426,910, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     As previously mentioned, one exemplary rotary device  130  is a multiple station cam-indexing dial that is adapted to perform material handling operations. The dial  130  has an upper surface  132  and means  134  for securely holding one syringe  10  in a releasable manner and in a spaced relationship. Exemplary means  134  is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,915,823, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     A post  161  is provided for holding the tip cap  40  after its removal to permit the chamber to be filled with medication. The post  161  can also be formed on the upper surface  132  of the dial  130 . Thus, the precise location of the post  161  can vary so long as the post  161  is located where the tip cap  40  can sit without interfering with the operation of any of the automated devices and also the post  161  should not be unnecessarily too far away from the held syringe  10  since it is desired for the automated devices to travel a minimum distance during their operation to improve the overall efficiency of the system  100 . The specific shape of the post  161  can likewise vary so long as the post  161  can hold the tip cap  40  so that it remains on the post  161  during the rotation of the dial  130  as the associated syringe  10  is advanced from one station to another station. 
     While in one exemplary embodiment, the syringes  10  are fed to the rotary device  130  as part of a syringe bandolier (i.e., multiple syringes  10  are disposed in series and interconnected by a web), it will be appreciated that the syringes  10  can be fed to the rotary device  130  in any number of other ways. For example, the syringes  10  can be fed individually into and held individually on the rotary device  130  from a loose supply of syringes  10 . 
     The automated device  300  is a robotic device and preferably, the automated device  300  is a linear actuator with a gripper. For example, the device  300  has first and second positionable gripping arms  340 ,  350  which are adjustable in at least one direction and which are coupled to and extend downwardly from the block member  330 . For example, each of the gripping arms  340 ,  350  is movable at least in a direction along the y axis which provide the flexibility and motion control that is desirable in the present system  100 . The gripping arms  340 ,  350  are programmed to work together in tandem so that both arms  340 ,  350  are driven to the same location and the same time. This permits an object, such as the cap  40 , to be held and moved to a target holding location. 
     The precise movements of the gripper device  300  are described in the &#39;910 application. In general, the gripper device  300  can be any robotic device that can hold and move an object, such as the tip cap  40 , from one location to another location. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 4 , the system  100  also includes a device  400  for extending the plunger  50  of one uncapped syringe  10  after it has had its tip cap  40  removed therefrom. For ease of illustration, the device  400 , as well as the device  300 , are described as being part of the third station  150  of the system  100 . The device  400  extends the plunger  50  so that the syringe  10  can receive a desired dose based upon the particular syringe  10  being used and the type of application (e.g., patient&#39;s needs) that the syringe  10  is to be used for. The device  400  can have any number of configurations so long as it contains a feature that is designed to make contact with and withdraw the plunger  50 . In one exemplary embodiment, the automated device  400  is a robotic device and preferably, the automated device  400  is a linear actuator with a gripper. For example, one exemplary device  400  is a mechanical device that has a movable gripper  410  that includes a gripping edge  420  that engages the flange  54  of the plunger  50 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , and then the gripper  410  is moved in a downward direction causing the plunger  50  to be moved a predetermined amount. For example, the gripper  410  can be the part of an extendable/retractable arm that includes the gripping edge  420  for engaging the syringe  10  above the plunger flange  54 . When an actuator or the like (e.g., stepper motor) causes the gripper  410  to move in a downward direction, the gripping edge  420  seats against the flange  54  and further movement of the gripper  410  causes the extension of the plunger  50 . Once the plunger  50  has been extended the prescribed precise distance, the gripper  410  moves laterally away from the plunger  50  so that the interference between the flange  54  of the plunger  50  and the gripping edge  420  no longer exits. In other words, the gripper  410  is free of engagement with the plunger  50  and can therefore be positioned back into its initial position by being moved laterally and/or in an up/down direction (e.g., the gripper  410  can move upward to its initial position). An exemplary plunger extending device is described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/457,066, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Thus, the device  400  complements the device  300  in getting the syringe  10  ready for the fluid transfer station at which time, a prescribed amount of medication or other medication is dispensed into the chamber  30  of the barrel  20  as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     Of course, it will be appreciated that the syringes  10  can be provided without caps  40  and thus, the device  300  is not needed to remove caps  40  if the syringes  10  are loaded onto dial  130  without caps  40 . 
     The device  400  is part of the overall programmable system and therefore, the distance that the gripper  410  moves corresponds to a prescribed movement of the plunger  50  and a corresponding increase in the available volume of the chamber of the barrel  20 . For example, if the prescribed unit dose for a particular syringe  10  is 8 ml, then the controller instructs the device  400  to move the gripper  410  a predetermined distance that corresponds with the plunger  50  moving the necessary distance so that the volume of the barrel chamber is at least 8 ml. This permits the unit dose of 8 ml to be delivered into the barrel chamber. As described below, the device  400  can be operated multiple times with reference to one syringe  10  in that the plunger  50  can be extended a first distance during a first operation of the device  400  and a second distance during a subsequent second operation of the device  400 . 
     In one example, after the syringe  10  has been prepared by removing the tip cap  40  and extending the plunger  50  a prescribed distance, the syringe  10  is then delivered to the fluid transfer station  170  where a fluid transfer device  500  prepare and delivers the desired amount of medication. 
     Now turning to  FIG. 5  in which a drug preparation area is illustrated in greater detail to show the individual components thereof. More specifically, a drug transfer area for the vial mode of operation of the system  100  is illustrated and is located proximate the rotary dial  130  so that after one drug vial  60  is prepared (reconstituted), the contents thereof can be easily delivered to one or more syringes  10  that are securely held in nested fashion on the rotary dial  130 . As previously mentioned, drug vials  60  are stored typically in the storage cabinet  110  and can be in either liquid form or solid form or even be empty. A driven member, such as a conveyor belt  111 , delivers the drug vial  60  from the cabinet  110  to a first robotic device (e.g., a pivotable vial gripper mechanism)  510  that receives the vial  60  in a horizontal position and after gripping the vial with arms (grippers) or the like, the mechanism  510  is operated so that the vial  60  is moved to a vertical position relative to the ground and is held in an upright manner. 
     The mechanism  510  is designed to deliver the vial  60  to a rotatable pedestal  520  that receives the vial  60  once the grippers of the mechanism  510  are released. The vial  60  sits upright on the pedestal  520  near one edge thereof that faces the mechanism  510  and is then rotated so that the vial  60  is moved toward the other side of the pedestal  520 . It will be understood that any number of different robotic mechanisms can be used to handle, move and hold the vial. 
     As the pedestal rotates, the vial  60  is scanned as by a barcode reader  151  or the like and preferably a photoimage thereof is taken and the vial  60  is identified. If the vial  60  is not the correct vial, then the vial  60  is not used and is discarded using a gripper device that can capture and remove the vial  60  from the pedestal before it is delivered to the next processing station. The central control has a database that stores all the identifying information for the vials  60  and therefore, when a dose is being prepared, the controller knows which vial (by its identifying information) is to be delivered from the cabinet  110  to the pedestal  520 . If the scanning process and other safety features does not result in a clear positive identification of the vial as compared to the stored identifying information, then the vial is automatically discarded (e.g., returned to a further inspection station) and the controller will instruct the system to start over and retrieve a new vial. 
     The reader, such as a scanner,  151  can also read the vial  60  to ensure that the proper vial  60  has been delivered and gripped by the robotic device. This is another safety check and can be implemented with barcodes or the like. The reader  151  initially reads the barcode or other identifying information contained on the vial  60  and this read information is compared to a stored database that contains the inputted drug information. If the product identification information does not match, the operator is notified and the vial  60  is not advanced to the next station. 
     If the vial  60  is identified as being the correct vial, then a vial gripper device (robotic device)  530  moves over to the pedestal for retrieving the vial  60  (alternatively, this robotic device can be the same robotic device that delivers the vial  60  to the pedestal). The vial gripper device  530  is configured to securely grip and carry the vial in a nested manner to the next stations as the drug is prepared for use. Details and operation of the vial gripper device  530  are described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/434,850, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The robotic device  530  includes a pair of grippers or arms  539  (gripper unit) that are positionable between closed and open positions with the vial  60  being captured between the arms in the closed position in such a manner that the vial  60  can be securely moved and even inverted and shaken without concern that the vial  60  will become dislodged and fall from the arms. The arms thus have a complementary shape as the vial  60  so that when the arms close, they engage the vial and nest around a portion (e.g., neck portion) of the vial  60  resulting in the vial  60  being securely captured between the arms. As with some of the other components, the arms can be pneumatically operated arms or some other mechanical devices. 
     In order to retrieve the vial  60  from the pedestal  520 , the device  530  is driven forward and then to one side so that it is position proximate the pedestal  520 . The gripper unit  539  is then moved downward so that the arms, in their open position, are spaced apart with the vial  60  being located between the open arms. The gripper unit  539  is then actuated so that the arms close and capture the vial  60  between the arms. Next the robotic device  530  is moved upward and the device  530  is driven back to the opposite side so as to introduce the vial  60  to the next station. The vial  60  is also inverted by inversion of the gripper unit  539  so that the vial  60  is disposed upside down. 
     The vial  60  can then be delivered to a weigh station  540  ( FIG. 7 ) where the weight of the vial with solid medication (or an empty vial or any other object) is measured and stored in the computer system. Any number of different devices, such as scales, can be used to weigh the vial; however, one exemplary device for weighing the vial  60  and any other object for that matter, is a load cell  542 . Load cell  542  is a transducer for the measurement of force or weight, usually based on a strain gauge bridge or vibrating wire sensor. In particular and as shown in  FIG. 8 , the load cell  542  includes a housing or body  544  that contains the working components and electronics of the load cell  542  and a platform  546  on which the item, in this case, the vial, to be weighed is placed. 
     The load cell  542  is part of an overall automated and integrated system and therefore, it contains software that communicates with the master controller so that the operation of the complete system  100  can be controlled, including the movement of the robotic device  530  that holds and transport the vial  60  from one location to another location. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the vial  60  is held by the robotic device about the neck portion and can therefore be delivered onto the load cell platform  546 . In one embodiment, the robotic device moves the vial  60  from the pedestal  520  to the platform  546 . 
     The software controlling the robotic device is configured so that the vial grippers of the robotic device are first approximately level with the standby pedestal  520  and at this point, the software of the load cell gather a predetermined number, such as 10-15 (e.g., 15) weights from the load cell  542  which are considered the tare weight. The vial  60  is then shuttled down to a predetermined distance, such as 2.5 mm, above the load cell platform  546 . From this predetermined distance (e.g., 2.5 mm), the load cell software shuttles the vial  60  down towards the load cell platform  546  very slowly, while monitoring the weights returned by the load cell  542  to determine the exact moment the vial makes contact with the platform  546  (i.e., which will register a marked increase in observed weight). At the moment the vial contact the platform, the software instructs the vial grippers to open and all vertical movement of the vial is stopped. A predetermined time, such as 0.5 seconds, after the vial grippers open, the software collects a predetermined number, such as 10-15 (e.g., 15) of weight measurements from the load cell, which shall be considered the weight of the vial and the load cell platform. 
     The data collected by the load cell can be processed in any number of different ways and in one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 15 , a graph is created where the x axis is the measured amplitude (AtoD counts) and the y axis is the time (ms). The point at which the vial makes contact with the load cell  542  is indicated at line  545 . The vial weight (AtoD counts) is equal to the measured weight-tare. The vial weight (grams) is equal to (vial weight (AtoD counts)*slope)+intercept. In another embodiment, data is not displayed but is manipulated inside the master controller and final results are used for system reaction. 
     As will be described below, since the initial weight of the vial is measured and stored and later, the weight of the reconstituted drug in the vial is calculated, a safety check can be performed to determine if the proper drug product was fabricated. 
     In another embodiment, say in serial dilution, empty child vial weighed and diluent is added and weighed. After that, drug is added to the vial with diluent and weighed. Now the system knows the amount of diluent and drug added to the vial and knows the final composition of the drug in the vial. 
     The inverted vial  60  is delivered to a station  550  where the vial  60  is prepared by removing the safety cap from vial  60  after vial verification when the vial is introduced into the system  100  but before the tare weight and the filling of diluent and final weighing of the product as described above. This station  550  can therefore be called a vial decapper station. Any number of devices can be used at station  550  to remove the safety cap from the vial. For example, several exemplary decapper devices are disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,903 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. After the vial  60  is decapped, the vial is then delivered, still in the inverted position, to a cleaning station  560  where the exposed end of the vial is cleaned. For example, underneath the removed vial safety cap, there is a septum that can be pierced to gain access to the contents of the vial. The cleaning station  560  can be in the form of a swab station that has a wick saturated with a cleaning solution, such as an alcohol. The exposed area of the vial  60  is cleaned by making several passes over the saturated wick which contacts and baths the exposed area with cleaning solution. After the vial  60  is cleaned at the station  560 , the gripper unit  539  rotates so that the vial  60  is returned to its upright position and remains held between the gripper arms. 
     The device  530  then advances forward to the fluid transfer station  170  according to one embodiment. The fluid transfer station  170  is an automated station where the medication (drug) can be processed so that it is in a proper form for delivery (injection) into one of the syringes  10  that is coupled to the rotary dial  130 . As mentioned before, the fluid transfer station  170  is used during operation of the system, at least partially, in a vial mode of operation. When the vial  60  contains only a solid medication and it is necessary for a diluent (e.g., water or other fluid) to be added to liquify the solid, this process is called a reconstitution process. Alternatively and as will be described in detail below, the medication can already be prepared and therefore, in this embodiment, the fluid transfer station is a station where a precise amount of medication is simply aspirated or withdrawn from the vial  60  and delivered to the syringe  10 . 
     For purpose of illustration, the reconstitution process is first described. After having been cleaned, the vial  60  containing a prescribed amount of solid medication is delivered in the upright position to the fluid transfer station  170  by the device  530 . As will be appreciated, the device  530  has a wide range of movements in the x, y and z directions and therefore, the vial  60  can easily be moved to a set fluid transfer position. At this position, the vial  60  remains upright and a fluid transfer device  580  is brought into position relative to the vial  60  so that an automated fluid transfer can result therebetween. More specifically, the fluid transfer device  580  is the main means for both discharging a precise amount of diluent into the vial  60  to reconstitute the medication and also for aspirating or withdrawing the reconstituted medication from the vial  60  in a precise, prescribed amount. The device  580  is a controllable device that is operatively connected to a control unit, such as a computer, which drives the device  580  to specific locations at selected times and controls with a high degree of precision the operation and discharge of medication. The control unit can be a personal computer that runs one or more programs to ensure the coordinated operation of all of the components of the system  100 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , one exemplary fluid transfer device  580  is a robotic device having a movable cannula unit  590  that can be moved in a controlled up and down and side-side, etc., manner so to either lower it or raise it relative to the vial  60  in the fluid transfer position and to move it into the proper position. For example, the cannula unit  590  can be pneumatically operated or operated by an electric motor or some other means to cause the controlled movement of the cannula unit  590 . 
     At one end of the cannula unit  590 , a cannula  610  is provided. The cannula  610  has one end that serves to pierce the septum of the vial  60  and an opposite end that is connected to a main conduit  620  that serves to both deliver diluent to the cannula  610  and ultimately to the vial  60  and receive aspirated reconstituted medication from the vial  60 . Preferably, the cannula  610  is of the type that is known as a vented cannula which can be vented to atmosphere as a means for eliminating any dripping or spattering of the medication during an aspiration process. More specifically, the use of a vented needle to add (and withdraw) the fluid to the vial overcomes a number of shortcoming associated with cannula fluid transfer and in particular, the use of this type of needle prevents backpressure in the vial (which can result in blow out or spitting or spraying of the fluid through the piercing hole of the cannula). The venting takes place via an atmospheric vent that is located in a clean air space and is formed in a specially designed hub that is disposed over the needle. By varying the depth that the needle penetrates the vial, the user can control whether the vent is activated or not. It will be appreciated that the venting action is a form of drip control (spitting) that may otherwise take place. Drip control is thus a feature in the system  100  after aspiration where fluid is sucked back into the tube (cannula) to prevent dripping of the drug and then the cannula  610  is transferred to the syringe  10  for dispensing. 
     Moreover, the cannula  610  is also preferably of the type that is motorized so that the tip of the cannula  610  can move around within the vial  60  so that cannula  610  can locate and aspirate every last drop of the medication. In other words, the cannula  610  itself is mounted within the cannula unit  590  so that it can move slightly therein such that the tip moves within the vial and can be brought into contact with the medication wherever the medication may lie within the vial  60 . Thus, the cannula  610  is driven so that it can be moved at least laterally within the vial  60 . 
     An opposite end of the main conduit  620  is connected to a fluid pump system  630  that provides the means for creating a negative pressure in the main conduit  620  to cause a precise amount of fluid to be withdrawn into the cannula  610  and the main conduit  620 , as well as creating a positive pressure in the main conduit  620  to discharge the fluid (either diluent or medication) that is stored in the main conduit  620  proximate the cannula  610 . One exemplary fluid pump system  630 , as well as the operation thereof, is described in great detail in the &#39;823 patent, which has been incorporated by reference. The net result is that the prescribed amount of diluent that is needed to properly reconstitute the medication is delivered through the cannula  610  and into the vial  60 . Accordingly, the cannula  610  pierces the septum of the vial and then delivers the diluent to the vial and the vial  60  can be inverted to cause agitation and mixing of the contents of the vial or the vial can be delivered to a separate mixing device to cause the desired mixing of the contents. 
     After the medication in the vial  60  has been reconstituted as by inversion of the vial and/or mixing, as described herein, the fluid pump system  630  is then operated so that a prescribed amount of medication is aspirated or otherwise drawn from the vial  60  through the cannula  610  and into the main conduit  620 . Before the fluid is aspirated into the main conduit  620 , an air bubble is introduced into the main conduit  620  to serve as a buffer between the diluent contained in the conduit  620  to be discharged into one vial and the aspirated medication that is to be delivered and discharged into one syringe  10 . It will be appreciated that the two fluids (diluent and prepared medication) can not be allowed to mix together in the conduit  620 . The air bubble serves as an air cap in the tubing of the cannula and serves as an air block used between the fluid in the line (diluent) and the pulled medication. According to one exemplary embodiment, the air block is a 1/10 ml air block; however, this volume is merely exemplary and the size of the air block can be varied. 
     After aspirating the medication into the main conduit  620 , the fluid transfer device  580  is rotated as is described below to position the cannula  610  relative to one syringe  10  that is nested within the rotary dial  130 . The pump mechanism  630  is actuated to cause the controlled discharge of the prescribed amount (dosage) of medication through the cannula  610 . As the pump mechanism  630  is operated, the air block continuously moves within the main conduit  620  toward the cannula  610 . When all of the pulled (aspirated) medication is discharged, the air block is positioned at the end of the main conduit signifying that the complete pulled medication dose has been discharged; however, none of the diluent that is stored within the main conduit  620  is discharged into the syringe  10  since the fluid transfer device  580 , and more particularly, drivers or the like of the system, operate with such precision that only the prescribed medication that has been previously pulled into the main conduit  620  is discharged into the vial  60 . 
     It will be appreciated that the fluid transfer device  580  may need to make several aspirations and discharges of the medication into the vial  60  in order to inject the complete prescribed medication dosage into the vial  60 . In other words, the cannula unit  590  can operate to first aspirate a prescribed amount of fluid into the main conduit  620  and then is operated so that it rotates over to and above one syringe  10  on the rotary dial  130 , where one incremental dose amount is discharged into the vial  60 . After the first incremental dose amount is completely discharged into the syringe  10 , the cannula unit  590  is brought back the fluid transfer position where the fluid transfer device is operated so that a second incremental dose amount is aspirated into the main conduit  620  in the manner described in detail hereinbefore. The cannula unit  590  is brought back to the rotary dial  130  above the syringe  10  that contains the first incremental dose amount of medication. The cannula  610  is then lowered so that the cannula tip is placed within the interior of the syringe  10  and the cannula unit  590  is operated so that the second incremental dose amount is discharged into the syringe  10 . The process is repeated until the complete medication dose is transferred into the syringe  10 . 
     It will further be appreciated that the cannula unit  590  can be configured so that it can be operated at varying speeds of aspiration. For example, the software associated with the cannula unit  590  can offer the operator a number of different aspiration programs to choose from or the operator can program the unit  590  with a unique aspiration process or program by entering or inputting aspiration instructions. For example, the unit  590  can operate by first aspirating the medication at a first speed and for a first time period and then aspirating the medication at a second speed for a second time period. According to one embodiment, the first speed is greater than the second speed and the first time period is greater than the second time period; however, the opposite can be equally true and it will further be appreciated that there may be more than 2 distinct aspiration phases. For example, there can be a first aspiration phase that operates at a first aspiration speed, a second aspiration phase that operates at a second speed and a third aspiration phase that operates at a third aspiration speed. The speed of the aspiration can be varied by simply varying the speed of the pump. In this manner, the initial aspiration of the medication can operate at a higher speed and then when only a small amount of medication remains, the aspiration speed can be reduced so as to controllably withdraw the last portion of the medication that is contained in the container. 
     In addition, the reconstitution equipment, including the cannula unit  590 , can possess various motions, including a gentle inversion to “wet” the solid drug in the vial  60  with the diluent that was added to the vial  60  and an agitation motion which causes the drug to go into solution. The system  100 , and in particular, the reconstitution module thereof, is configured to operate in this manner since the reconstitution process uses both motions based upon key drug characteristics. A database controls the differences observed from drug to drug. In one embodiment, the robotic gripper holds the drug vial  60  during the agitation cycle so that is does not become dislodged. The associated software preferably possesses a QA function that enables the drug to be tested under various conditions to assure that the settings effect putting the drug into solution, and the ability to have the reconstituted drug manually observed, by the robotic gripper removing the drug from the reconstitution station  170  and presenting the vial  60  to a window (when the system  100  is contained within an enclosed structure as described below) for an operator to look at the vial  60  and enter their observations into a reconstitution QA database. If the drug was not fully in solution, the entry into the QA database can be used to adjust the formulary to require an additional increment of agitation time. 
     In other words, the software is designed so that once the operator enters the drug order, the master controller accesses the reconstitution database that includes detailed instructions as to how to prepare the reconstituted drug of the order and part of these instructions include instructions on the aspiration process as discussed below. In particular, once the drug type of the order is identified, the aspiration instructions are determined, including the number, length and characteristics of the agitation phases and motions, and then the controller instructs the equipment to execute these instructions. 
     In yet another embodiment, a prescribed dosage of medication can be drawn from the vial  60  by mating a syringe  10  with the vial  60  as by inserting the needle (vented cannula) of the syringe into and through the septum of the vial  60  and then extending the plunger a predetermined, precise distance so as to draw a precise amount dosage into the syringe from the drug vial  60 . The device and method for controlling the extension of the plunger is described in great detail herein. 
     Once the syringe  10  receives the complete prescribed medication dose, the vial  60  that is positioned at the fluid transfer position can either be (1) discarded or (2) it can be delivered to a holding station  700  where it is cataloged and held for additional future use. More specifically, the holding station  700  serves as a parking location where a vial that is not completely used can be used later in the preparation of a downstream syringe  10 . In other words, the vials  60  that are stored at the holding station  700  are labeled as multi-use medications that can be reused. These multi-use vials  60  are fully reconstituted so that at the time of the next use, the medication is only aspirated from the vials  60  as opposed to having to first inject diluent to reconstitute the medication. The user can easily input into the database of the master controller which medications are multi-use medications and thus when the vial  60  is scanned and identified prior to being delivered to the fluid transfer position, the vial  60  is identified and marked as a multi-use medication and thus, once the entire medication dose transfer has been performed, the vial gripper device  530  is instructed to deliver the vial  60  to the holding station  700 . Typically, multi-use medications are those medications that are more expensive than other medications and also are those medications that are used in larger volumes (quantities) or are stored in larger containers and therefore come in large volumes. 
     The holding station  700  is simply a location where the multi-use vials can be easily stored. For example, the holding station  700  is preferably a shelf or even a cabinet that contains a flat surface for placing the vials  60 . Preferably, there is a means for categorizing and inventorying the vials  60  that are placed at the holding station  700 . For example, a grid with distinct coordinates can be created to make it easy to determine where each vial  60  is stored within the holding station  700 . 
     Once the device  530  has positioned the vial  60  at the proper location of the holding station  700 , the gripper unit is operated so that the arms thereof release the vial  60  at the proper location. The device  530  then returns back to its default position where it can then next be instructed to retrieve a new vial  60  from the pedestal  520 . 
     If the vial  60  is not a multi-use medication, then the vial  60  at the fluid transfer position is discarded. When this occurs, the device  530  moves such that the vial  60  is positioned over a waste chute or receptacle and then the gripper unit is actuated to cause the vial  60  to drop therefrom into the waste chute or receptacle. The device  530  is then ready to go and retrieve a new vial  60  that is positioned at the pedestal  520  for purposes of either reconstituting the medication or simply aspirating an amount of medication therefrom or a vial from the holding station  700  can be retrieved. 
     As previously mentioned, during the reconstitution process, it is often necessary or preferable to mix the medication beyond the mere inversion of the vial and therefore, the vial  60  can be further agitated using a mixing device or the like  710 . In one embodiment, the mixing device  710  is a vortex type mixer that has a top surface on which the vial  60  is placed and then upon actuation of the mixer, the vial  60  is vibrated or otherwise shaken to cause all of the solid medication to go into solution or cause the medication to be otherwise mixed. In yet another embodiment, the mixing device is a mechanical shaker device, such as those that are used to hold and shake paint cans. For example, the vial  60  can be placed on support surface of the shaker and then an adjustable hold down bar is manipulated so that it travels towards the vial and engages the vial at an end opposite the support surface. Once the vial  60  is securely captured between these two members, the shaker device is actuated resulting in the vial  60  being shaken to agitate the medication and ensure that all of the medication properly goes into solution. In addition, the mixing device  710  can also be configured so that it is in the form of a robotic arm that holds the vial by means of gripper members (fingers) and is operatively connected to a motor or the like which serves to rapidly move the arm in a back and forth manner to cause mixing of the medication. In yet another embodiment, reconstitution is done using a process commonly called “milking”. In this process, diluent is added to the drug vial to be reconstituted and with series of “pull and push” motion of fluid, reconstitution is achieved. In this process, non-venting needle is used. 
     As briefly mentioned before, the entire system  100  is integrated and automated and also utilizes a database for storing identifying data, mixing instructions, and other information to assist in the preparation of the medication. There are also a number of safety features and check locations to make sure that the medication preparation is proceeding as it should. 
     For example, the database includes identifying information so that each vial  60  and syringe  10  can be carefully kept track of during each step of the process. For example, the reader (e.g., barcode scanner)  151  and the photoimaging equipment serve to positively identify the vial  60  that is delivered from the drug storage  110 . Typically, the user will enter one or more medication preparation orders where the system  100  is instructed to prepare one or more syringes that contain specific medication. Based on this entered information or on a stored medication preparation order that is retrieved from a database, the vial master controller determines at which location in the cabinet the correct vial  60  is located. That vial  60  is then removed using a robotic gripper device (not shown) and is then placed on the conveyor belt  111  and delivered to the mechanism  510  pivots upright so that the vial  60  is moved a vertical position relative to the ground and is held in an upright manner and is then delivered to the rotatable pedestal  520 . At the pedestal  520 , the vial  60  is scanned to attempt to positively identify the vial  60  and if the scanned identifying information matches the stored information, the vial  60  is permitted to proceed to the next station. Otherwise, the vial  60  is discarded. 
     Once the vial  60  is confirmed to be the right vial it proceeds to the fluid transfer position. The master controller serves to precisely calculate how the fluid transfer operation is to be performed and then monitors the fluid transfer operations has it is occurring. More specifically, the master controller first determines the steps necessary to undertake in order to perform the reconstitution operation. Most often during a reconstitution operation, the vial  60  that is retrieved from the drug storage  110  contains a certain amount of medication in the solid form. In order to properly reconstitute the medication, it is necessary to know what the desired concentration of the resulting medication is to be since this determines how much diluent is to be added to the vial  60 . Thus, one piece of information that the user is initially asked to enter is the concentration of the medication that is to be delivered to the patient as well as the amount that is to be delivered. Based on the desired concentration of the medication, the master controller is able to calculate how much diluent is to be added to the solid medication in the vial  60  to fully reconstitute the medication. Moreover, the database also preferably includes instructions as to the mixing process in that the mixing device is linked to and is in communication with the master controller so that the time that the mixing device is operated is stored in the database such that once the user inputs the medication that is to be prepared and once the vial  60  is scanned and identified, the system (master controller or CPU thereof) determines the correct time that the vial  60  is to be shaken to ensure that all of the medication goes into solution. 
     Once the master controller determines and instructs the working components on how the reconstitution operation should proceed, the master controller also calculates and prepares instructions on how many distinct fluid transfers are necessary to deliver the prescribed amount of medication from the vial  60  to the syringe  10 . In other words, the cannula unit  590  may not be able to fully aspirate the total amount of medication from the vial  60  in one operation and therefore, the master controller determines how many transfer are needed and also the appropriate volume of each aspiration so that the sum of the aspiration amounts is equal to the amount of medication that is to be delivered to the syringe  10 . Thus when multiple aspiration/discharge steps are required, the master controller instructs and controls the operation of the pump mechanism so that the precise amounts of medication are aspirated and then discharged into the syringe  10 . As previously described, the pump mechanism operates to cause the proper dose amount of the medication to be first aspirated from the vial and then discharged into the syringe. This process is repeated as necessary until the correct dose amount is present in the syringe  10  in accordance with the initial inputted instructions of the user. Yet in another embodiment, multiple doses are aspirated from the vial and smaller doses are dispensed into multiple syringes. 
     After transferring the proper precise amount of medication to one syringe  10 , the master controller instructs the rotary dial to move forward in an indexed manner so that the next empty syringe  10  is brought into the fluid transfer position. The cannula  610  is also preferably cleaned after each medication dose transfer is completed so as to permit the cannula  610  to be reused. There are a number of different techniques that can be used to clean the cannula  610  between each medication transfer operation. For example, the cleaning equipment and techniques described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,771 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/457,898 (both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties) are both suitable for use in the cleaning of the cannula  610 . 
     In one embodiment, the cannula  610  is rotated and positioned so that the needle of the cannula  610  is lowered into a bath so that fluid is expelled between the inside hubs of the syringe  10  for cleaning of the interior components of the cannula  610 . The cannula  610  is then preferably dipped into a bath or reservoir to clean the outside of the cannula  610 . In this manner, the cannula  610  can be fully cleaned and ready for a next use without the need for replacement of the cannula  610 , which can be quite a costly endeavor. 
     In yet another embodiment, a medication source, such as a bag that is filled with liquid medication that has already been properly reconstituted, is connected to an input portion of a peristaltic pump by means of a first conduit section. A second conduit section is connected to an output port of the pump and terminates in a connector. The connector is of the type that is configured to hermetically seal with an open barrel tip of the syringe  10  that is nested within the rotary dial  130  and is marked to receive medication. The connector typically includes a conduit member (tubing) that is surrounded by a skirt member or the like that mates with the outer hub of the syringe barrel. A flange or diaphragm can be provided for hermetically sealing with the syringe barrel (outer hub). 
     In commonly assigned U.S. Ser. No. 11/434,850 (which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety), it is described how the plunger  50  of the syringe  10  can be extended with precision to a prescribed distance. In that application, the plunger  50  is extended to create a precise volume in the barrel that is to receive a precise prescribed dosage of medication that is injected therein at a downstream location. However, it will be appreciated that the action of extending the plunger  50  can serve more than this purpose since the extension of the plunger  50  creates negative pressure within the syringe barrel and thus can serve to draw a fluid therein. For example, once the connector is sealingly mated with the open syringe tip end, the medication source (e.g., an IV bag) is fluidly connected to the syringe  10  and thus can be drawn into the syringe barrel by means of the extension of the plunger  50 . In other words, the plunger  50  is pulled a precise distance that results in the correct size cavity being opened up in the barrel for receiving the fluid but also the extension of the plunger creates enough negative pressure to cause the medication to be drawn into the syringe barrel. This is thus an alternative means for withdrawing the proper amount of medication from a member (in this case the source) and transferring the desired, precise amount of medication to the syringe  10 . The operation of this alternative embodiment can be referred to as operating the system in reservoir mode and is shown in  FIG. 13 . One advantage of this embodiment is that multiple syringe drivers or the like or some type of pump mechanism are not needed to pump the medication into the syringe  10  but rather the drawing action is created right at the rotary dial  130 . This design is thus fairly simple; however, it is not suitable for instances where drug reconstitution is necessary. 
     It will also be appreciated that the source does not have to be a medication source in that it does not have to contain an active drug but instead, the source can contain diluent that is to be drawn in a prescribed volume into the syringe, especially for purposes of serial dilution, as described below. More specifically and as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , in the reservoir mode, the fluid source can consist of a number of drug delivery bags  750  that are already filled either premixed medication or with only diluent that is later used to dilute medication as described in detail below. The filled drug delivery bags (e.g., IV bags)  750  can be hung in a select area, with each bag  750  having an outlet conduit through which the fluid contained in the bag is drawn. It will be appreciated that the outlet conduits associated with the drug delivery bags  750  can be interconnected as by connecting each of the bag outlet conduits to a common line  754  with one or more valves or the like being used to selectively control which bag outlet line is in directly fluid communication with the common line  754 . In this manner, a number of different medications can be hung and be ready for use and the user of the system merely has to manipulate the valve (either manually or automatically using a computer, etc.) to connect the selected bag  750  to the common line  754 . 
     The computer that operates the entire system can be in communication with the valves to permit and to control the flow of the prescribed desired fluid from one bag  750  to the common line  754 . The common line  754  is thus in communication at a first end with the outlet conduit of the select bag  750  that contains the desired fluid and another end of the common line  754  is configured to mate with a syringe inlet port to permit the fluid in the bag  750  to be drawn into the bag by extending the plunger  50  a predetermined distance as described above to cause a precise, target volume of fluid to be drawn into the barrel of the syringe  10 . For example, the free end of the common line (conduit)  754  can contain a connector or adapter (e.g., a stopper element)  760  that is configured to mate with the inlet opening (port) of the syringe barrel in a sealed manner. Since it is the extension of the plunger  50  that generates the means of drawing a prescribed volume of fluid into the syringe barrel, the connection between the end of the common line (e.g., the connector thereof) and the syringe barrel is such that the creation of negative pressure in the syringe barrel  20  causes the fluid to be drawn into the barrel. In other words, it is desirable to establish a seal or the like between the end of the common line  754  and the syringe barrel so that negative pressure can be established and maintained in the syringe barrel. 
     For purpose of illustration, the delivery of fluid from one source during operation of the reservoir mode to one syringe  10  is performed at the reservoir mode fluid delivery station  770  that is arranged relative to the other stations of the system  100 . 
     According to one embodiment, the free end of the common line  754  is secured to a controllable, movable device,  765  such as a robotic arm or an automated arm, that can be controllably moved. In particular, the movable device is moved vertically at least along a linear axis so as to drive the free end of the common line  754  (the connector) into a sealed coupling with the syringe barrel when it is driven in one direction or when it is driven in the opposite direction, the common line disengages from the barrel of the syringe  10  to permit the syringe to be advanced to another station, such as the fluid transfer station  170  described above where reconstituted drug can be delivered into a syringe  10  that was previously injected with fluid through the common line  754  from the fluid source when operating in reservoir mode. 
     It will be appreciated that the reservoir drug delivery station  770  and the fluid transfer station  170  are different stations that are located at different locations, such as adjacent stations along the dial  130 . 
     The capped syringe  10  can then be transferred to other stations, such as a station where the syringe in bandolier form is cut into individual syringes  10  that are labeled for particular patients. The syringes  10  can then be unloaded from the dial  130  and then further processed, as for example, by being delivered to a storage receptacle where it is stored or by being delivered to a transporting device for delivery to the patient or the filled syringes  10  can be cataloged and packaged in different boxes or the like for delivery to one more locations. For example, in a batch type process, which is typically more common with the reservoir mode type of operation, a number of syringes  10  can be prepared and delivered into a single box or receptacle. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention illustrated in  FIGS. 8-10 , the system  100  includes software that permits the user to enter (input) drug vial information which is then used to calculate and control the movement and position of the vented cannula  610  with respect to a septum  61  of the drug vial  60 . As previously mentioned, the vented cannula  610  includes the drug delivery cannula portion and a separate air vent channel that terminates in a vent port proximate the open cannula portion. In order for the vent portion to be in an active, open position, the vent port must be positioned within the interior chamber of the drug vial  60  below the septum  61  so as to permit atmospheric air to travel into the interior chamber (i.e., the interior is vented), thereby allowing fluid (e.g., diluent) to be injected into the interior chamber or reconstituted medication to be aspirated therefrom. It will be appreciated that if the vent port is not positioned within the interior chamber, then the vent feature is not active and diluent cannot be easily added to the drug vial  60  to reconstitute the medication and reconstituted cannot be easily aspirated from the interior chamber. 
     Thus, in order for the vent feature to be active, the cannula  610  must be positioned so that the vent port clears the septum and is positioned below the septum  61  inside the interior chamber. 
     There are a number of different vial types  60  that are commercially available from a number of different manufacturers. Not only do drug vials  60  come in different sizes (e.g., different volume sizes) and shapes, but also, the drug vials  60  have different septum types  61 . For example and importantly, the thickness of the septum  61  can vary from one application to another (e.g., from one vial  60  to another vial  60 ). Thus, if the thickness of septum A is 5 units and the thickness of the septum B is 10 units, the computer control system and positioning system of the drug delivery device and in particular, the cannula control unit, must take this difference into account into to properly position the vent in the correct location where it is active. For example, if the control system simply moved and positioned the cannula in the same position for the septums A and B, the vent port may clear the septum A but in the case of septum B, the vent port may not clear the lower surface of the septum  61  but instead is located within the septum  61  itself and thus, be in an inactive or closed position. Thus, it is clearly desirable for the control and positioning system to be able to recognize the type of septum  61  that is being used with the particular drug vial  60  that is being operated on by the system  100 . 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the software of the control and positioning system includes a database that stores pertinent information about the drug vial and in particular, pertinent information about the septum  61 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , the computer screen  1100  can include a number of input boxes in which the operator can enter certain vial characteristics, such as the vial width, height, and septum distance (thickness). The database can store the dimensions of the septum  61 , especially, the thickness of the septum  61 . This stored information is used to control the positioning of the cannula  610  and in particular, to control the precise location of the open tip and vent port of the cannula  610  with respect to the septum contained in the drug vial  60 . 
     More specifically and during the initial input of information (e.g., using a keyboard, etc.), the user can enter not only information about the drug product order but also information about the drug vial  60 . For example, the user can enter that the drug vial  60  is a 50 ml vial type X from company Y. Alternatively, the type of drug vial  60  can be inputted by means of scanning the barcode or the like that is contained on the drug vial  60 . In the embodiment, the initial scan of the barcode transfers to the master controller not only information about the contents of the drug vial  60  but also transfers to the master controller information about the drug vial type. 
     Once the master controller receives the inputted or read information about the vial type, the master controller searches the database for this particular vial type and once it is found in the database, the related stored information in the database is retrieved and is used to control the positioning of the cannula unit. In particular, the dimensions, and particularly, the thickness and diameter of the septum  61 , are used in the calculation of how far the cannula is lowered with respect to the drug vial  60  so as to ensure that not only the open drug delivery portion of the cannula  610  but also the vent port of the cannula  610  completely clear the septum so that both of these features are positioned within the interior chamber of the drug vial  60  ( FIG. 10 ). This results in the vent port being in an active position to ensure proper venting of the interior chamber of the drug vial  60  to atmospheric air to permit either diluent to be added to the drug vial  60  to reconstitute the medication or the aspiration of the fluid (e.g., reconstituted medication) from the drug vial  60 . 
     Accordingly, by accessing the vial characteristics stored in memory based on the inputted or read vial identifying information, the computer system determines a precise load location where the vent port is open (active venting) by being located completely within the interior chamber below the septum  61  as in  FIG. 10  and a second position where the vent port is closed as in the case where venting of the interior chamber is not desired as in  FIG. 9 . The computer software can use a coordinate mapping system or other drive technology to position the cannula with preciseness at one of these positions. This permits the position of not only the open end tip of the cannula, but also the vent port, to be tracked at all times relative to the septum  61  since the thickness of the septum  61  is stored in the database and thus, it can easily be calculated the precise location where the cannula tip needs to be driven in order to clear the septum  61  and similarly, the location that the vent port needs to be driven to in order to clear the septum  61  and be engaged (open or active). 
     It will be appreciated that the above process is not limited to the use of the vented cannula  610  but applies instead to the use of any vented instrument, such as a vented syringe tip, etc. 
     In another aspect, the stored vial characteristic information can contain information about the angle draw of the fluid (reconstituted medication) contained in the vial  60 . For example, different septum designs have different preferred positions of an angle of drawing the reconstituted medication from the drug vial interior. For example, one draw angle is 90 degrees in which the cannula  610  is inserted through the septum  61  at a 90 degree angle and then the medication is drawn through the cannula  610  from the interior chamber. If the draw angle is 45 degrees for a particular vial and septum  61 , then the cannula  610  is inserted through the septum  61  and the vial  60  (with cannula) is rotated to a 45 degree angle relative to a ground surface, etc. The reconstituted medication is then drawn from the vial  60  at this angle. 
     Once again, it will be appreciated that in a typical drug drawing operation, the vented needle  610  (cannula) is placed in a multitude of positions in order to optimize the amount of drug that is being drawn from the vial  60 . For example, in the initial drug drawing operation, the vent is engaged by clearing the septum  61  to permit the medication (e.g., reconstituted medication) to be drawn from the drug vial  60 . The computer system can be programmed so that once a substantial amount of the drug has been drawn and only a small amount remains in the vial  60 , the vent is not engaged to permit the last small amount of drug to be drawn from the vial  60 . In other words, the automated positioning system (e.g., coordinate tracking system) can be used to position the tip of the cannula just through the septum  61  in order to get every last drop of medication from the vial  60 . 
     In addition, the repeated piercing of the septum  61  in the same location by the cannula  610  can cause coring to occur due to the exposed septum being repeatedly penetrated at the same location which causes small pieces of the rubber septum  61  to dislodge. This is especially the case for multi-dose vials  60  that are used multiple times. To prevent coring of the septum  60 , the system  100  can include a multi-position septum penetration feature in which software records, stores and controls the location where the piercing object (such as cannula  610  or a needle of the syringe  10 ) pierces the septum  61 . As previously described and in the case of the cannula unit  590 , for example, a master controller controls the movements of the cannula unit  590  and in particular, controls the vertical motion of the cannula unit  590  so that the cannula  610  is delivered to the correct location inside the vial  60  and relative to the septum  61 . However, in order to eliminate the coring problem, the master controller is configured to control the entry point or location of the entry of the piercing object into the septum  61 . In other words, the same location of the septum  61  is not repeatedly pierced by the inserted object but instead, the cannula unit  590  is controlled so that the unit  590  moves laterally relative to the septum  61  to cause the cannula  610  to enter a different location of the septum  61 . 
     For example, the software associated with the master controller can contain a program and a database that keeps track of the prior locations where a particular vial that is uniquely identified has been pierced and it also contains a stored piercing pattern that includes multiple piercing points that have different mapped coordinates so that they do not overlie one another and therefore, successive piercings of the same septum  61  result in the piercing object contacting and entering different locations (coordinates) of the septum  61  as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Thus, as soon as the multi-use drug vial  60  is identified by its unique identifier (e.g., a barcode, RFID, etc.), the controller accesses the database and retrieves the stored past history of the septum piercing locations for this particular septum  61  and then, it determines the next piercing location and instructs the fluid delivery unit to move the piercing object to that location. As viewed from the top, the septum can be pierced in a number of randomly scattered locations. 
     In another example, master controller using the information about the material characteristics of the septum of a given vial in the database, adjusts the speed of insertion of cannula through the septum. Say, relatively faster speed to penetrate a hard septum to minimize coring. 
     In another aspect, the syringes  10  can be initially supplied in a sealed, sterile bag  1400  as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . In this embodiment, the syringe  10  includes the cap  40  which can either be attached to the barrel ( FIG. 12 ) or it can be off the barrel ( FIG. 11 ) and supplied next to the barrel and plunger which are coupled together in the sterile bag  1400 . The syringe  10 , including the cap  40 , are thus stored in a sterile environment before being used in the automated drug preparation system  100 . 
     More specifically, the syringes  10  can be loaded onto the device at station  120  and the cap  40  can either be manually or automatically put onto the barrel of the syringe prior to or at station  120 . For example, an automated device can grip and place the cap  40  on the barrel before the syringe  10  is loaded onto the dial  130  or the automated gripper device can grip the cap  40  and place the cap on the post  161  of the dial  130 . The system  100  is then operated in the manner described herein which results in the cap  40  being placed back onto the syringe  10  at a station after either the drug delivery station  170  or the reservoir mode station  770 . 
     It will therefore be appreciated that the same cap  40  that was present in the sterile bag  1400  at the beginning of the loading process is the same one that is attached to the filled syringe  10  at the end of the process. This is in contrast to traditional design where a syringe that is contained in the sterile bag  1400  can be capped with a temporary cover or cap-like structure; however, after the bag is opened and the syringe is removed, this cover or cap-like structure is intended to be discarded since it is not intended to function as a cap member that seals the barrel. In other words, this cover that is contained in the sterile bag is not used later in the automated drug delivery system for covering the syringe. 
     In yet another aspect, the fluid volume of a fluid contained in a receptacle, such as a vial or syringe, can be measured using a number of different means. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0178578, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a system and method for calculating a volume of liquid that is disposed within a container. In addition, the fluid volume can be measured with a laser light source. 
     A small laser is used to generate a line source and the light line is projected through the container (e.g., a syringe) parallel to the long axis of the syringe. When the laser light passes through the fluid, which is primarily composed of water and drug, the light bends due to refraction. The index of refraction is 1.38 for water verses approximately 1.0 for air. By using a laser to construct a small light beam, which intersects the vial or syringe, the air/fluid boundary can be easily detected using the difference in index of refraction between water and the fluid. Once the boundary is located, the syringe volume can be calibrated to the pixel location. A method based on using a second order polynomial is disclosed in the &#39;578 publication and is also suitable for use in the present method of using a laser light source. 
     The light source is relatively simple and can be a laser diode with a “line lens” that is used to illuminate the test object. Any light source that produces a line along the syringe can be used, e.g., a backlight with a slit mask. The laser image can be projected onto a label which wraps most of the cylinder of the vial and this allows volume estimation when the liquid if not visible through the label. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16A and 16B , syringe  10 , with plunger  50 , is illustrated. A laser  1500  is provided and is equipped with a line generator lens  1510 , that is arranged so that it is directed toward the syringe  10 . A camera  1520  is provided on the opposite side of the syringe  10  opposite the laser  1500 . The syringe  10  contains a fluid solution (e.g., fluid medication) and there is a liquid/air meniscus  1530  and the plunger  50  is also illustrated and its position can be determined. It will be appreciated that below the plunger  50 , there is no liquid. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16A  and B, the projected laser line  1502  passes through the syringe  10  and the line is refracted where there is liquid (the dosage of medication) as opposed to where there is air both above the liquid/air meniscus and below the plunger  50 . The camera view of the syringe  10  is shown in  FIG. 16B  with an offset in the laser line due to the index of refraction when the light passes through the liquid. As shown in  FIG. 16B , there are two laser line segments  1532 ,  1534  that are linear with respect to one another and one laser line segment  1536  that is offset from the other line segments  1532 ,  1534 . Once this segment is determined where the liquid is present, the volume can be determined using the process described in the &#39;578 publication. 
     Thus, one exemplary method of measuring a liquid volume of medication contained in a syringe includes the steps of: (1) generating a light beam in the form of a laser line from a laser; (2) directing the light line towards the syringe; (3) positioning a camera proximate the container on an opposite side relative to the laser; (4) passing the laser line through the container such the line is refracted where there is liquid as opposed to air both above a liquid/air meniscus and below a plunger of the syringe; (5) calibrating the volume of the medication to pixel locations and map boundary locations of the refracted laser line segment; and (6) calculating the liquid volume based on the calibration and location and boundaries of the refracted laser line segment that represents where the medication is present. 
     In yet another aspect, the fluid level can be measured by water absorbance as shown in  FIG. 17 . Since the liquid in most drugs is essentially water and the liquid is clear, it is difficult to sense when the liquid level has reached an electronic sensor. Insignificant light is absorbed through water in the visible spectrum but water has an absorbance peak near 970 nanometers (infrared spectrum). When light at that wavelength is passed through a syringe once can measure the attenuation from the following formula: 
     Absorbance=−log(I 0 /I), where I 0 =initial intensity and I=transmitted intensity.  FIG. 17  shows an exemplary set up to measure the fluid level in this manner and in particular, the syringe  10  with plunger  50  extended contains a liquid medication and an infrared light source  1539  is provided and is directed towards the syringe  10  so that is passes through the liquid contained in the syringe  10 . A collimating lens  1540  can be used to collect more light through the syringe field of view and then concentrate the light at the local point of the lens  1540  and a detector  1550 , such as a photodiode detector, is used to measure the absorbance signal when there is no liquid verses a syringe filled with a liquid (e.g., the liquid medication). 
     In yet another embodiment, the fluid volume is measured by a capacitive sensor, generally indicated at  1560  in  FIG. 18 . The capacitor sensor  1560  is created by using parallel plates  1562  on the sides of the syringe  10 . The capacitance measured between the plates  1562  is proportional to the dielectric constant of the fluid in the syringe  10 . The dielectric constant of water is approximately 80. The dielectric constant of air is 1. As the liquid fills the syringe  10  with liquid, the capacitance rises and is proportional to the volume of fluid in the syringe  10 . In particular: 
     C=(E 0 *E r *A)/d; where C is the capacitance in Farads; E 0  is the permittivity of free space; E r  is the dielectric constant of the insulator (air or water); A is the area of each capacitor plate  1562 ; and d is the separation of the plates  1562 . An amplifier or oscillator  1570  is used to product an analog signal proportional to the variation in capacitance. 
     In another aspect, the fluid level can be measured with a camera  1580  at the top of the syringe  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 19 . As the liquid is delivered to the syringe  10  and prior to the liquid touching the top of the syringe  10 , air bubbles and meniscus are present. In contrast, once the liquid has completed filling the syringe  10 , the air bubbles and meniscus are eliminated or very few in number. Thus, the camera  1580  that is directed towards the top of the syringe  10  can monitor the change in appearance at the top of the syringe in order to measure the fluid level of the syringe  10 . 
     It will be understood that the integrity and accuracy of any of the fluid filling stations of the system  100  can be checked by using a laser beam of light in order to detect a fill volume within a syringe or some other container. In addition, the system  100 , in this embodiment, is configured to adjust the filling process at the point of filling in the event that the expected amount of fluid was not transferred. For example, at station  770 , when the syringe plunger  50  is extended to draw in diluent or other fluid, the a laser beam or other source of light is positioned at the target fill location and if the fill volume does not “break” (impinge) this laser line, then the controller will instruct the automated fluid delivery system to deliver additional fluid (preferably in small increments) until the total fill volume breaks the laser line at which time the fluid delivery is terminated. 
     The use of a laser to detect the fill volume can be used at the point of reconstitution where the reconstituted medication is delivered to the syringe  10  or it can be used at the point of transferring the medication to a syringe at some other location or it can be used at station  770  (in reservoir mode) when diluent or pre-made medication or some other fluid is delivered to the syringe  10  by extending the plunger  50  and in this case, if the expected amount of fluid was not transferred, then the device  400  that extends the plunger  50  is further activated to cause further movement of the plunger  50  to cause an incremental amount of additional fluid to be drawn into the syringe  10 . 
     It will also be appreciated that a number of other safety features can be present and incorporated into the system  100 . For example, sensors can be provided at any number of the various stations of the system  100 . In particular, a sensor can be provided at the load station  120  where drug delivery devices, such as syringes, are initially loaded into the system for monitoring and indicating when no more syringes  10  are present for loading into the system  100 . For example, if the feed of syringes  10  is interrupted or if the system  100  simply runs out of syringes  10 , the sensor recognizes this event and sends an alert signal to the master controller. Any number of different types of sensor devices can be used to accomplish this result and in particular, the sensor can be a weight based sensor that detects the weight of an object (syringe) or it can be a device that visually detects the presence of an object (syringe). 
     Other sensors are provided to detect other conditions or events in the system  100  and in particular, the fluid sources  750  (e.g., hanging IV bags) that are used in the reservoir mode of operation at the station  770  can each includes a sensor that monitors the fluid level of the respective source  750  and in the event that a low fluid level is detected, the sensor sends an alert signal to the master controller identifying that a low fluid level has been detected at one particular source  750 . The fluid sources  750  typically include diluent for use in reconstituting the drug at station  170 ; however, one or more of the sources  730  can contain other fluids besides diluent. 
     Other sensors include sensors which monitor the condition of the syringe  10  as it is loaded onto the dial  130  and in particular, the sensor monitors whether or not the cap  40  is present on the syringe  10  since if the cap  40  is missing from the syringe  10 , the sterility of the syringe  10  may be compromised and therefore, the syringe  10  is removed for further inspection or is discarded. Another type of sensor is a reader that reads the barcode that is part of the label of the syringe  10  to make sure that the label is legible and the act of labeling was completed properly. 
     In yet another aspect that is illustrated in  FIGS. 20-25 , the present system  100  includes a system  1600  and method for detecting vial, syringe and cannula features and in particular, the system preferably includes: (1) a feedback motion control system to manipulate the position(s) of the cannula and/or syringe and/or the septum; (2) a method for monitoring motion control actuator performance and/or a method for monitoring dynamic forces, moments, temperature, stress and/or strain on the interacting bodies and/or control system; and (3) a method for analyzing motion control parameters, actuator performance and dynamics of the interacting bodies. 
     More specifically, the system  1600  generally provides a robotic platform simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) of the vial, syringe, and/or cannula features. In contrast to the above described alternative system of storing characteristics in a database, the system  1600  eliminates robotic programmed teach positions, thus eliminating the need for a database to store physical characteristics of every vial, septum, and cannula. The system  1600  also eliminates resources to create and populate the database. If a database is needed, this can provide an automatic means for populating that database. The system  1600  provides advanced diagnostics and automatic error correction for robotic manipulation of a cannula, syringe and vial. As is known in the art, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is a technique used by robots and autonomous vehicles to build up a map within an unknown environment while at the same timekeeping track of its current position. 
     The system  1600  is configured so that it can detect vial features by means of an interaction with cannula features.  FIG. 21  illustrates the parts of a cannula  1700 , which is identical to or similar to cannula  610 , and in particular, the cannula  1700  includes a hub  1702 , a hub tip  1704 , a cannula body  1706  and a cannula tip  1708 .  FIG. 22  illustrates the various parts of a standard vial, such as vial  60 . The vial  60  has a body  61  and includes a vial cap  1710 , a vial septum retention collar  1712  which holds in place a vial septum body  1714  which includes a septum outer wall  1716 . 
     The system  1600  includes a feedback motion control system  1720  to manipulate the position(s) of the cannula, syringe and/or septum. The motion control system  1720  can be a single or multi axis system and the motion control system  1620  can be electrically and/or mechanically actuated.  FIG. 20  illustrates one exemplary motion control system  1720  that includes a single or multi axis motion controller  1721 , cannula  1700  that is coupled to a sliding mechanism  1730  that slidingly travels (e.g., in longitudinal direction) along a track  1732  that can be in the form of a ball screw. The sliding mechanism  1730  is operatively coupled to a motor  1740  the actuation and operation of which causes the sliding mechanism  1730  to travel in a controlled, precise manner. The motor  1740  is operatively coupled to both a motor controller  1742  that controls operation of the motor  1740  and an optical encoder  1750  which serves to monitor and detect the precise position of the sliding mechanism  1730  and in particular, the location of the cannula  1700  can be tracked with great precision. The optical encoder  1750  can be any number of different conventional optical encoders that are suitable for this particular application and generally, an optical encoder functions by sending a sensed image or the like to a digital signal processor for analysis and the processor detects the patterns in the images and examines how the patterns have moved since the previous image and based on the change in patterns over a sequence of images, the processor determines how far the sliding mechanism  1730  and the cannula  1700  have moved and sends the corresponding coordinates to a master controller (e.g., computer  1760 ). 
     The system  1600  provides a method for monitoring one or more of the following: (a) feedback control parameters, such as but not limited to: position error, velocity error, real time position, and real time velocity; (b) motion control actuator performance, such as but not limited to: speed, torque, force, electric current, and hydraulic pressure; and (c) dynamic forces, moments, temperature, stresses and/or strains on one or more of the following: cannula components, vial components, actuators, and system mechanical components. The system also provides a method for analyzing one or more of the monitored parameters listed above and one or more of the feedback parameters listed above. 
     The system  1600  and the components thereof, including the system  1720 , are configured to detect the precise moment a cannula feature interacts with a vial or syringe feature. Examples of cannula features include but are not limited to the hub  1702 , hub tip  1704 , cannula body  1706 , and the cannula tip  1708 . Examples of vial features include but are not limited to the septum outer wall  1716 , the septum body  1714 , vial body  61 , retention collar  1712 , vial cap  1710  and free air. Examples of syringe feature include but are not limited to the syringe lure, the syringe body, syringe plunger, and syringe cap. Examples of interactions that are detected by the system  1600  include but are not limited to a cannula feature not interacting with a vial feature as shown in  FIG. 23   a , the cannula tip  1608  touching the septum outer wall  1616  from outside the septum as shown in  FIG. 23   b , the cannula tip  1608  cutting through the septum  1614  as shown in  FIG. 23   c , the cannula tip  1608  touching the septum wall  1616  when cutting through the septum  1614  as shown in  FIG. 23   d , the cannula body  1606  sliding through the septum body  1614 , with the cannula tip  1608  already pierced through the opposite end of the septum  1614  as shown in  FIG. 23   e , the cannula hub tip  1604  touching the septum outer wall  1616  as shown in  FIG. 23   f , the cannula hub  1602  sliding through the septum body  1614  as shown in  FIG. 23   g , the cannula hub vent touching the septum outer wall  1616 , the cannula tip  1608  touching the syringe lure as shown in  FIG. 25   a , the cannula tip  1608  touching the syringe body as shown in  FIG. 25   b , the cannula tip  1608  touching the syringe plunger  50  as shown in  FIG. 25   c , the cannula tip  1608  touching the syringe cap  40  as shown in  FIG. 25   d.    
     The system  1600  is also configured so that it is capable of detecting the type of material the cannula tip  1708  touches as it moves by means of the system  1720 . The type of material detected is due to the tip  1708  touching at least one of the following: the septum body  1614  ( FIG. 24   a ), the retention collar  1612  ( FIG. 24   b ), the vial body  61  ( FIG. 24   c ), the vial cap  1610  ( FIG. 24   d ) and free air ( FIG. 24   e ). 
     As previously mentioned, the system  1600  (in particular, the system  1720 ) is configured for simultaneous localization and mapping of septum features, syringe features and vial features in one, two, or three dimensions. An example of one dimensional mapping is shown in  FIG. 23 . By profiling “position error” of a one dimensional control system  1720  ( FIG. 20 ), the cannula and vial features were mapped by pushing the cannula through the septum. The system  1600  is capable of: (a) determining if the vial or cannula are not located properly (e.g., cannula needle is not seated properly); (b) determine septum thickness; differentiate from the cannula impacting soft materials, such as the septum, or hard materials, such as the vial body  61 , vial cap  1710  and retention collar  1712 , and use this information to confirm proper positioning or to react accordingly; (c) provide accurate positioning of cannula into the septum, such as but not limited to (i) positioning of the cannula into the septum at the vent position; (ii) positioning of the cannula into the septum just past the septum bottom allowing maximized withdrawal of fluid from an inverted vial; positioning of the cannula into the septum optimal filling position; (d) detect variance of cannula physical properties; (e) detect variance of septum physical properties; (e) provide advanced diagnostics and automatic error correction for robotic manipulation of a cannula and vial (e.g., if the robotic arm manipulates the cannula to push through the septum but detects that the cannula instead impacted the aluminum retention collar, the control system would determine that something in the system  1600  is not functioning properly or the vial or cannula are not located properly and corrective action would then be taken by the control system; (f) tamper detection—detect if the cannula or septum experienced an interaction at a state that they should not have been interacted with and upon detection, action can be taken to prevent use of a contaminated cannula or vial (e.g., the cannula is touched by human hands and therefore, contamination can be assumed in the event that the cannula was impacted; (g) contamination detection—a cannula can be deemed contaminated if it impacts with any surface other than the septum and correction action can then be taken by the control system; (h) detect if the cannula was unable to penetrate the septum; (i) detect if the cannula was not successively removed from the septum; (h) detect if the cap was not removed from the syringe or vial; (i) syringe filling—detect if the cannula impacted the syringe instead of inserting untouched into the lure; and (j) detect if the cannula needle penetrated the septum at an undesired angle by impacting the inner wall of the vial during penetration. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the speed at which the cannula  1700  is advanced toward, into and through the septum body  1714  is selected in view of at least one material characteristic of the septum body  1714 . For example, in the embodiment, where a database is included and contains stored information relating to the septum, the database can contain information relating to the material of the septum (e.g., the Shore durometer value of the material). For example, if the septum is formed of a relatively soft material, then the cannula can be advanced at a higher speed as compared to when the septum is formed of a harder material, in which case the cannula is advanced at a slower speed so as to ensure that the cannula enters the septum body in a controlled manner so as not to damage the cannula itself. In other words, the speed of penetration of the cannula is controlled based on formulary information for each septum so as to prevent coring of the septum. Unlike the first embodiment, the thickness of the septum is not part of the calculation as to the speed of penetration. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a vial on the pedestal  520  is analyzed by the camera  151  and using the master controller, vial dimensional characteristics of height, diameter, neck position etc. can be calculated automatically for vial manipulation by the robot. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described thus far with reference to the accompanying drawings; rather the present invention is limited only by the following claims.