Methods and systems for aligning dispensing arrays with microfluidic sample arrays

A system for dispensing sample fluid, the system comprising:

• a dispensing mechanism comprising a plurality of dispensers positioned in a dispenser array;
• a receptacle device comprising a plurality of receptacles arranged in a receptacle array, each receptacle configured to receive sample fluid from one of the one or more dispensers, the receptacle device having a first side facing the dispensing mechanism and a second side opposite the first side;
• a fiducial reference comprising at least one of the plurality of receptacles;
• a sensing mechanism arranged opposite the second side of the receptacle device and configured to detect one of the plurality of dispensers by sensing the one of the plurality of dispensers through a receptacle of the receptacle array;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive position information about the fiducial reference from the sensing mechanism, and
• cause alignment of the dispenser array and the receptacle device based upon the position information.