Remote Sampler
External or remote sampling
Obtaining samples is a critical and labour intensive task carried out by organizations of all types. The actual process of collection and recording has benefited little from advances in computerization, however driven by the overwhelming need to :-
• Reduce the costs of collection,
• Provide a paperless trail of custody throughout the life of the sample to meet regulatory requirements e.g. UK Drinking Water Inspectorate (Water), Food Standards Agency , and
• Take full advantage of those highly automated systems like LIMS already in place in laboratories
CSols have developed the Remote Sampler handheld computer solution for external sample collection.
Features
- » Makes life easy for the sampler
- » Full audit trail and chain of custody
- » GPS tracking and phone connectivity
- » Large screen for easy to use operation with menus and wizards
- » Transmission of the sampling event to the laboratory in advance of arrival to help with scheduling
- » Helps the sampler to find the sample location.
- » Also useful for emergency, ad hoc sampling or rarely sampled locations.
English
Supported Technologies
Software
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Pricing
- Unspecified -
Additional Product Information
Remote Sampler design
The Remote Sampler solution consists of ruggedized handheld computers or Personal Data Assistants (PDA) (usually one per sampler) and a hub workstation based in the laboratory. The hardware is then combined with software and utilities to help users integrate the system easily into their organisation’s routine operation.
Handheld Computers
Sampling is carried in a wide range of different settings by personnel with varying roles and expertise. CSols used the following criteria to select the right handheld device for Remote Sampler:-
• Robust to harsh environments and handling
• Large screen for easy to use operation with menus and wizards
• Usable with finger and pointers
• Incorporates support for barcode reading, GPS, Bluetooth and easy electronic data transfer
• Uses a common operating system for portability as new hardware becomes available
• Devices from Gotive www.gotive.com were selected and have been successfully deployed in many organizations.
Hub Workstation & LIMS
A workstation normally located in the laboratory or sample storage location running the CSols Hub software provides the interface between the handheld devices and the laboratory LIMS or IT system. Here planned or ad hoc collection runs and associated instructions are extracted and downloaded and later uploaded to all active handheld devices.
Making life easy for the sampler
Design of the software on both the handheld and hub systems has then been done in combination with a number of end users to maximize usability and to meet their technical requirements. Here a few of the key capabilities of Remote Sampler system are described in more detail.
Bottle collection
When bottles, tubes or plates are used to collect samples it is important to ensure the unique identifier on the container is correctly matched to each sample and that the time and position of the sampling is taken. The Remote Sampler software uses the built in barcode reader and GPS co-ordinates to capture this data.
On site testing
In the event that the sampler needs to record additional parameters or carry out tests while on site, the Remote Sampler software first prompts the sampler, then guides them, via a wizard, through the process to ensure all of the correct information is captured.
GPS tracking and phone connectivity
The inherent connectivity incorporated into the handheld device provide a number of useful functions :-
• Recording the co-ordinates of the collection point
• Transmission of the sampling event to the laboratory in advance of arrival to help with scheduling
• Helping the sampler to find the sample location. Especially useful for emergency, ad hoc sampling or rarely sampled locations.
Summary
The Remote Sampler solution is a powerful and flexible system to support the collection and recording of external samples of all types. Real experiences from projects carried out in the Water Industry have proven that the following benefits are possible :-
•Significant time savings during the processing of schedules and reception of samples
• Flexibility to cope with emergency samples and switches of collection runs
• Elimination of all paper transcription errors
• Improvements in sample integrity and accuracy of data collection
• Rock solid compliance with a full location audit
Extra benefits over paper based systems
The Remote Sampler wizard gives samplers the ability to get better quality results faster and more easily. The features include:
• GPS navigation to a location or an address
• A sensible place to make comments about your sample(s)
• Automatic time, date and coordinate stamping when a bottle is scanned
• A screen so the sampler can easily review all your comments for a sample
• A screen so the sampler can double check that all of the data for the sample(s) has been typed in correctly
• Automatic reminders if the sampler needs to make a comment i.e. nobody was in when they got there
• Automatic alerts if the sampler makes a mistake typing a number in
• No scribbling with a pen, just tapping with one finger
• No bits of paper to lose
The system can be readily enhanced to match any workflow requirements.
More information
For a copy of the Remote Sampler Technical article, further information or a demonstration of Remote Sampler please contact CSols at the address below or email us at: remotesampler@csols.com.
CSols Ltd The Heath, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4QX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1928 513535 Fax: +44 (0) 7006 061 106
Web: www.csols.com