A system to pick and/or place individual specimen containers from and/or to an array of specimen containers , the system comprising: a receiver having a proximate end , a distal end , and a receptacle having an opening at the distal end of the receiver , the receptacle having a principal axis and a set of lateral inner dimensions measured laterally with respect to the principal axis , the lateral inner dimensions of the receptacle sized to accommodate a set of lateral outer dimensions of at least a portion of a single container therein and at least a portion of the receptacle sized to physically prevent rotation of the single one of the specimen containers about the principal axis while allowing translation with respect thereto; a drive shaft having a proximate end and a distal end ; and an engagement head at the distal end of the drive shaft and which translates and rotates along with the drive shaft , wherein the drive shaft is translatable parallel with the principal axis to selectively position the engagement head alternatingly distally from and proximate to a first portion of the single one of the specimen containers when the single one of the specimen containers is positioned at least partially in the receptacle of the receiver , and at least when positioned proximate to the first portion of the single one of the specimen containers the drive shaft is selectively rotatable alternatingly in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction about the principal axis to cause at least a portion of the engagement head to alternatingly engage and disengage the first portion of the single one of the specimen containers while at least a portion of the receptacle of the receiver prevents the single one of the specimen containers from rotating about the principal axis . a receiver having a proximate end , a distal end , and a receptacle having an opening at the distal end of the receiver , the receptacle having a principal axis and a set of lateral inner dimensions measured laterally with respect to the principal axis , the lateral inner dimensions of the receptacle sized to accommodate a set of lateral outer dimensions of at least a portion of a single container therein and at least a portion of the receptacle sized to physically prevent rotation of the single one of the specimen containers about the principal axis while allowing translation with respect thereto; a drive shaft having a proximate end and a distal end ; and an engagement head at the distal end of the drive shaft and which translates and rotates along with the drive shaft , wherein the drive shaft is translatable parallel with the principal axis to selectively position the engagement head alternatingly distally from and proximate to a first portion of the single one of the specimen containers when the single one of the specimen containers is positioned at least partially in the receptacle of the receiver , and at least when positioned proximate to the first portion of the single one of the specimen containers the drive shaft is selectively rotatable alternatingly in a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction about the principal axis to cause at least a portion of the engagement head to alternatingly engage and disengage the first portion of the single one of the specimen containers while at least a portion of the receptacle of the receiver prevents the single one of the specimen containers from rotating about the principal axis . <EOS>