An apparatus comprising: a fluid transfer device comprising a plurality of aspirator probes, each aspirator probe having a distal end, and each distal end being adapted to have a tip mounted thereon; a slide (202, 252) configured for linear translation between a first position and a second position in the apparatus and having a bottom plate (226, 276) comprising a plurality of tip stripping elements (228, 278) formed therein, the slide including a first wall (204, 254) and a second wall (214, 262) extending upwardly from the bottom plate and defining a slot between the first and second walls, wherein the slot is configured to receive the plurality of aspirator probes, and wherein each tip-stripping element is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of aspirator probes, and each tip-stripping element being adapted to remove a tip from the distal end of an associated aspirator probe that is aligned with the tip-stripping element, wherein the plurality of tip-stripping elements are movable with the slide, such that when the slide is in the first position, no tip-stripping element is aligned with an aspirator probe to strip the tip mounted thereon, and when the slide is in the second position, each tip-stripping element is aligned with the associated aspirator probe, and wherein each tip-stripping element comprises a key-hole opening having a first portion with a transverse size sufficient to permit the tip to pass therethrough and a second portion with a transverse size sufficient to permit the probe to pass therethrough, but not sufficient to permit the tip to pass therethrough; and a controller configured to: cause the fluid transfer device to pass the distal end of the probe with the tip disposed thereon through the first portion of the key-hole opening; effect a linear translation of the slide so that the probe is in the second portion of the key-hole opening; and withdraw the probe from the key-hole opening, the tip being retained by the tip-stripping element when the tip is unable to pass through the second portion of the key-hole opening. a fluid transfer device comprising a plurality of aspirator probes, each aspirator probe having a distal end, and each distal end being adapted to have a tip mounted thereon; a slide (202, 252) configured for linear translation between a first position and a second position in the apparatus and having a bottom plate (226, 276) comprising a plurality of tip stripping elements (228, 278) formed therein, the slide including a first wall (204, 254) and a second wall (214, 262) extending upwardly from the bottom plate and defining a slot between the first and second walls, wherein the slot is configured to receive the plurality of aspirator probes, and wherein each tip-stripping element is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of aspirator probes, and each tip-stripping element being adapted to remove a tip from the distal end of an associated aspirator probe that is aligned with the tip-stripping element, wherein the plurality of tip-stripping elements are movable with the slide, such that when the slide is in the first position, no tip-stripping element is aligned with an aspirator probe to strip the tip mounted thereon, and when the slide is in the second position, each tip-stripping element is aligned with the associated aspirator probe, and wherein each tip-stripping element comprises a key-hole opening having a first portion with a transverse size sufficient to permit the tip to pass therethrough and a second portion with a transverse size sufficient to permit the probe to pass therethrough, but not sufficient to permit the tip to pass therethrough; and a controller configured to: cause the fluid transfer device to pass the distal end of the probe with the tip disposed thereon through the first portion of the key-hole opening; effect a linear translation of the slide so that the probe is in the second portion of the key-hole opening; and withdraw the probe from the key-hole opening, the tip being retained by the tip-stripping element when the tip is unable to pass through the second portion of the key-hole opening. cause the fluid transfer device to pass the distal end of the probe with the tip disposed thereon through the first portion of the key-hole opening; effect a linear translation of the slide so that the probe is in the second portion of the key-hole opening; and withdraw the probe from the key-hole opening, the tip being retained by the tip-stripping element when the tip is unable to pass through the second portion of the key-hole opening.