Apparatus and methods for sampling

A sampler comprising

• A) a handheld body including and holding:
• a. a storage container holder adapted in use to accommodate a storage container capable of receiving and storing a sample that is a biological sample,
• b. a sample collecting device holder adapted in use to accommodate a sample collecting device, wherein a sample removing region exists between the storage container holder and the sample collecting device holder to accommodate an item that is an animal material from which the sample is to be taken,
• c. an actuator adapted to drive the sample collecting device from the sample collecting device holder, to remove the sample from the item, and into the storage container, and
• B) a reader unit engaged to said handheld body and comprising:
• i. a sample identification reader adapted to capture identification information associated with the sample collecting device and/or the storage container, the identification information associated with the sample collecting device and/or the storage container defining a sample information, and
• ii. an animal identification reader adapted to capture identification information associated with the item from which the sample is to be taken, the identification information associated with the item from which the sample is to be taken defining an animal identification,
• wherein the reader unit is configured to measure and/or record time between:
• a) capturing the animal identification and taking the sample, and/or
• b) taking the sample and capturing said animal identification
• to compare the measured and/or recorded time against a predetermined time, wherein, if said measured and/or recorded time exceeds the predetermined time, the handheld body or the reader unit provides at least one of audio, visual and haptic feedback to a user of the sampler.

A method of taking a sample that is a biological sample from an item that is a plant material or an animal material and placing the sample into a storage container using a sampler, the sampler comprising:

• a handheld body presenting:
• a storage container holder adapted in use to accommodate the storage container for receiving the sample,
• a sample collecting device holder adapted in use to accommodate a sample collecting device,
• a sample removing region provided between the storage container holder and the sample collecting device holder to accommodate the item from which the sample is to be taken, and
• an actuator adapted to drive the sample collecting device from the sample collecting device holder, to remove the sample from the item, and into the storage container;
• and
• an identification reader adapted to capture identification information associated with the item from which the sample is to be taken, the identification information associated with the item from which the sample is to be taken defining an item identification;
• the method comprising:
• a) supplying the sampler with the storage container and the sample collecting device at the storage container holder and the sample collecting device holder respectively,
• b) driving the actuator to remove the sample from the item,
• c) capturing the item identification,
• wherein the method further comprises monitoring a sampling time duration that is a time duration between steps (b) and (c) and/or recording a time stamp at the time of each of steps (b) and (c) regardless of whether step (b) occurs before or after step (c), and comparing the sampling time duration with a predetermined time limit, and at least one of audio, visual and haptic feedback is provided to a user if said sampling time duration is longer than said predetermined time limit.

A sampling system comprising

• (i) a handheld body including and holding:
• a. a storage container holder adapted in use to accommodate a storage container capable of receiving and storing a sample that is a biological sample from a biological item,
• b. a sample collecting device holder adapted in use to accommodate a sample collecting device, wherein a sample removing region exists between the storage container holder and the sample collecting device holder to accommodate an item from which the sample is to be taken,
• c. an actuator adapted to drive the sample collecting device from the sample collecting device holder, to remove the sample from the item, and into the storage container,
• (ii) a sample identification reader adapted to capture identification information associated with the sample collecting device and/or the storage container, the identification information associated with the sample collecting device and/or the storage container defining sample information, and
• (iii) an item identification reader adapted to capture identification information associated with the item from which the sample is to be taken, the identification information associated with the item from which the sample is to be taken defining an item identification,
• wherein the system is configured to measure and/or record time between:
• a. capturing the item identification and capturing the sample information, and/or
• b. capturing the sample information and capturing the item identification,
• and to compare the measured and/or recorded time against a predetermined time, wherein if said measured and/or recorded time exceeds the predetermined time the handheld body provides at least one of audio, visual and haptic feedback to a user of the sampling system, and
• wherein the sample identification reader and the item identification reader together or severally form part of one of said handheld body and a handheld portable electronic device.