A carrier configured to hold and transport a vessel containing a barcode label for an automation system for use in an in vitro diagnostics environment, the carrier comprising: a body comprising a top surface; two sets of a plurality of vertically-extending vessel guides on the top surface of the body, each of the two sets of the plurality of vertically-extending vessel guides (114a, 114b) arranged in a circumferential orientation defining an opening (112a, 112b) sized and shaped to contain a vessel in the opening (112a, 112b); and a spring assembly on the top surface of the body comprising a central member that supports two sets of springs (142, 144), wherein a respective one of the two sets of springs (142, 144) provides support to the vessel contained in a respective one of the two openings (112a, 112b) to hold the vessel in the respective opening (112a, 112b); wherein the two sets of the plurality of vertically-extending vessel guides (144a, 114b) and the spring assembly are arranged in a lateral configuration with the spring assembly positioned between the two sets, and wherein the two sets are a mirrored-configuration with respect to one another such that substantially all of an outer surface of the vessel is unobscured when the vessel is contained in, one at a time, each of the two openings (112a, 112b), wherein the carrier is configured to be held and moved on a track, the track being part of the automation system, and an unobstructed space for each opening (112a, 112b) is complimentary such that an unobstructed view of the vessel can be constructed by imaging the vessel in both openings (112a, 112b) by a plurality of peripheral readers (410a, 410b, 410c) and fusing resulting data by a processor. a body comprising a top surface; two sets of a plurality of vertically-extending vessel guides on the top surface of the body, each of the two sets of the plurality of vertically-extending vessel guides (114a, 114b) arranged in a circumferential orientation defining an opening (112a, 112b) sized and shaped to contain a vessel in the opening (112a, 112b); and a spring assembly on the top surface of the body comprising a central member that supports two sets of springs (142, 144), wherein a respective one of the two sets of springs (142, 144) provides support to the vessel contained in a respective one of the two openings (112a, 112b) to hold the vessel in the respective opening (112a, 112b); wherein the two sets of the plurality of vertically-extending vessel guides (144a, 114b) and the spring assembly are arranged in a lateral configuration with the spring assembly positioned between the two sets, and wherein the two sets are a mirrored-configuration with respect to one another such that substantially all of an outer surface of the vessel is unobscured when the vessel is contained in, one at a time, each of the two openings (112a, 112b), wherein the carrier is configured to be held and moved on a track, the track being part of the automation system, and an unobstructed space for each opening (112a, 112b) is complimentary such that an unobstructed view of the vessel can be constructed by imaging the vessel in both openings (112a, 112b) by a plurality of peripheral readers (410a, 410b, 410c) and fusing resulting data by a processor.