A sampling system comprising: a collection instrument through which a physical specimen sample is collected from a surface to be analyzed, wherein the collection instrument is arranged substantially in parallel with the surface; means for moving the collection instrument and the surface toward and away from one another and wherein there exists a desired positional relationship between the collection instrument and the surface for purposes of collecting a physical specimen sample from the surface; distance-measuring means including a laser sensor arranged in a fixed positional relationship relative to the collection instrument and directly above the surface for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and wherein there exists a target distance between the laser sensor and the surface when the collection instrument and the surface are arranged in the desired positional relationship for purposes of collecting a physical specimen sample from the surface; means for receiving the signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface; comparison means for comparing the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface to the target distance between the laser sensor and the surface and for initiating the movement of the laser sensor and the surface toward or away from one another when the difference between the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and the target distance is outside of a predetermined range so that by moving the surface and the collection instrument toward or away from one another, the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface approaches the target distance; and wherein the laser sensor is a first laser sensor and the distance-measuring means includes a second laser sensor arranged in a fixed positional relationship relative to the collection instrument for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the second laser sensor and the surface, the first and second laser sensors are arranged on opposite sides of the collection instrument for generating signals which correspond to the actual distances between the first and second laser sensors and the surface and the system further includes calculator means for averaging the actual distances to which the generated signals correspond so that the actual distance compared by the comparison means is the averaged actual distances. means for moving the collection instrument and the surface toward and away from one another and wherein there exists a desired positional relationship between the collection instrument and the surface for purposes of collecting a physical specimen sample from the surface; distance-measuring means including a laser sensor arranged in a fixed positional relationship relative to the collection instrument and directly above the surface for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and wherein there exists a target distance between the laser sensor and the surface when the collection instrument and the surface are arranged in the desired positional relationship for purposes of collecting a physical specimen sample from the surface; means for receiving the signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface; comparison means for comparing the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface to the target distance between the laser sensor and the surface and for initiating the movement of the laser sensor and the surface toward or away from one another when the difference between the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface and the target distance is outside of a predetermined range so that by moving the surface and the collection instrument toward or away from one another, the actual distance between the laser sensor and the surface approaches the target distance; and wherein the laser sensor is a first laser sensor and the distance-measuring means includes a second laser sensor arranged in a fixed positional relationship relative to the collection instrument for generating a signal which corresponds to the actual distance between the second laser sensor and the surface, the first and second laser sensors are arranged on opposite sides of the collection instrument for generating signals which correspond to the actual distances between the first and second laser sensors and the surface and the system further includes calculator means for averaging the actual distances to which the generated signals correspond so that the actual distance compared by the comparison means is the averaged actual distances.