Introduction

OpenSpecimen can be integrated with box scanners to support the following features:

1. Associating barcodes with OpenSpecimen

2. Managing specimens within a box (e.g., creating boxes, moving specimens, etc.)

Benefits

Speed: Reduce data entry time by 80%

With one click, you can retrieve the barcodes of all specimens in a box. This will reduce the time and effort needed to manage your inventory. For example, you removed a few specimens and added a few more to a box. Rescanning the box, OpenSpecimen will inform you which specimens were removed and allow you to assign a position to new specimens, all in a single click.

Accuracy: Reduce errors

The chances of errors are reduced since you are scanning the entire box, rather than scanning each barcode manually.

Supported Box Scanners

1. Azenta DP5 – DP5 is the software used by various Azenta box scanner models. Any scanner running DP5 can be integrated with OpenSpecimen.

2. FluidX Scanners (iRest) – Any FluidX scanner using iRest software can be integrated, including models like Perception and Impression.

3. New scanners can be added based on request.

Videos

Scan 1: Introducing Barcodes to OpenSpecimen during specimen collection

Scan 2: Rescanning to manage inventory

Error: “Unable to connect to the box scanner”: Validating Scanner Connection

• OpenSpecimen and the scanner software must run on the same machine.

• Errors occur when:

  • The scanner software (DP5/iRest) has not started.

  • Users switch machines between OpenSpecimen and the scanner.

  • The scanner software is frozen or unresponsive.

• OpenSpecimen automatically checks for scanner input during scanning.

• If no input is received, it shows an error message to help validate the scanner connection.

Example error message:

Open