Multi-sample laser-scatter measurement instrument with incubation feature and systems for using the same

An optical measuring instrument for determining a concentration of bacteria in a plurality of fluid samples, comprising:

• a housing with a substantially light-tight enclosure;
• a single cuvette assembly having a plurality of internals walls defining a plurality of individual internal fluid containers within the single cuvette assembly, each of the fluid containers holding a corresponding one of the plurality of fluid samples, each of the fluid containers having an input window and an output window, the single cuvette assembly including a code on an exterior surface thereof, the code providing information for a protocol for a test to be conducted by the optical measuring instrument on the fluid samples within the internal fluid containers within the single cuvette assembly;
• a platform structure located within the housing, the single cuvette assembly being registered on the platform structure;
• a laser located on an optical bench within the housing for providing an input beam for transmission into the input windows of the fluid containers and though the corresponding fluid samples, the input beam creating a forward-scatter signal associated with the concentration of bacteria, the laser periodically providing the input beam into each one of the fluid samples such that the multiple forward-scatter symbols are detected over a period of time for each of the fluid samples;
• at least one sensor located on the optical bench within the housing for detecting the forward-scatter signal exiting from the output windows;
• a code sensor for reading the information from the code on the single cuvette assembly;
• a heating element within the housing to maintain the fluid samples at a desired temperature to encourage bacterial growth in the fluid samples over a period of time, the desired temperature being defined by the protocol indicated by the code;
• and
• wherein the single cuvette assembly with the fluid containers is held in a fixed position and the optical bench undergoes translational movement so that the input beam from the laser sequentially addresses each of the plurality of fluid samples.