News

(1) Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Encouragement Prize for Invention

Invention: Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Analyzer (Patent Number: 4417143)
  This invention measures hemoglobin density in reticulocytes to effectively determine changes in the amount of iron in the blood when diagnosing iron deficiency in cases of renal anemia and for chronic kidney disease (CKD) especially in dialysis patients.
  With this invention, cell groups of reticulocytes are classified based on the scattered light that results when blood and other biological specimens are irradiated with light. The average value of the scattering intensity of reticulocytes contained in the cell groups is obtained, and this value is used to determine the volume of reticulocyte hemoglobin. This approach allows changes in the amount of iron to be determined in a short period of time, which was not possible in the past, and enables test results to be obtained quickly and inexpensively.
  This technology is employed in Sysmex's mainstay XN-Series, as well as the XT-4000 and XE-5000 fully automated hematology analyzers.
  For this invention, a representative of Sysmex also received the "Performance Achievement Award," which is bestowed on company representatives recognized as having achieved notable accomplishments.

 

(2) The Encouragement Prize for Invention

Invention: System for Using 3D Motion Imaging to Display Operating Procedures (Patent Number: 4964697)
  This invention uses 3D CG motion images for operating procedures in product manufacturing to show the start of operations and provide a complete picture of the work object, then zooms in on a magnified view of the particular portion of the work object where work is to be performed. By also enabling the operator to recognize when work is complete, the invention allows the worker to perform work without fixating on the screen. Consequently, the system enables inexperienced and novice workers to quickly develop skills on a par with those of an experienced worker.
  Sysmex employs this technology in its instrument manufacturing.

Invention: Automatic Pipette Tip Supplier (Patent Number: 4861698)
  This is an instrument for automatically supplying pipette tips used by immunochemistry analyzers with specimens of blood and other bodily fluids.
  The invention supplies large numbers of pipette tips along a ramp, dividing them into batches of several tips. The pipette tips are then supplied one at a time from the separator. The transport segment sends the pipette tips along, controlling them so that their tips are pointed downward. Pipette tips that have been retained by the sorter are automatically discharged. As a result, this system supplies pipette tips automatically and conveniently to the user, even if many pipette tips have been stored at random.
  This technology is used with Sysmex's HISCL-Series fully automated immunoassay system.

Invention: Amplification Inhibitor Detection Method Used in Nucleic Acid Amplification Analysis (Patent Number: 5102450)
  This invention relates to the detection of amplification inhibitors during nucleic acid amplification analysis performed to diagnose the lymph node metastasis of cancer cells.
  It employs both a measurement sample and a diluted measurement sample, amplifying the target nucleic acid and measuring the generated nucleic acid amplification products. If the nucleic acid amplification products of the diluted measurement sample are more numerous than the nucleic acid amplification products of the measurement sample, amplification inhibitors are determined to be present in the target nucleic acid. This approach prevents false negatives.
  This technology is used in Sysmex's RD-100i gene amplification detector.