title: Tagging of Test Tubes with Electronic p-Chips for Use in Biorepositories.
abstract: A system has been developed to electronically tag and track test tubes used in biorepositories. The system is based on a light-activated microtransponder, also known as a "p-Chip." One of the pressing problems with storing and retrieving biological samples at low temperatures is the difficulty of reliably reading the identification (ID) number that links each storage tube with the database containing sample details. Commonly used barcodes are not always reliable at low temperatures because of poor adhesion of the label to the test tube and problems with reading under conditions of frost and ice accumulation. Traditional radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are not cost effective and are too large for this application. The system described herein consists of the p-Chip, p-Chip-tagged test tubes, two ID readers (for single tubes or for racks of tubes), and software. We also describe a robot that is configured for retrofitting legacy test tubes in biorepositories with p-Chips while maintaining the temperature of the sample below -50°C at all times. The main benefits of the p-Chip over other RFID devices are its small size (600 × 600 × 100 μm) that allows even very small tubes or vials to be tagged, low cost due to the chip's unitary construction, durability, and the ability to read the ID through frost and ice.
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Wlodek
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mandecki
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Wesley M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kopacka
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Ziye
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Von
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ertwine
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gedzberg
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Maryann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gruda
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
authors.affiliation: PharmaSeq, Inc. , Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Efrain
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D016287:Computer Peripherals / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D057233:Radio Frequency Identification Device / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012371:Robotics; D012984:Software; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D013696:Temperature
keywords: LIMS; RFID; frost; instrumentation; microtransponder; p-Chip