Instrument conveyance using a shuttle

A handling unit, comprising:

• a dispenser configured to contain instruments for dispensing to a shuttle device;
• a shuttle dock configured to dock the shuttle device at the handling unit;
• an opening mechanism configured to open the shuttle device by rotating an outer shell member, relative to an inner shell member, to expose an internal compartment of the shuttle device;
• a magazine mechanism, included in a shuttle queue, configured to load the shuttle device to the shuttle dock;
• and
• a loading mechanism configured to load the instruments from the dispenser into the internal compartment of the shuttle device.

A method of instrument conveyance, comprising:

• receiving, by a processor, an instruction based on a user input in connection with a transaction involving one or more instruments being performed at a head unit;
• causing, by the processor and based on receiving the instruction, a shuttle device to dock at a shuttle dock of a handling unit,
• wherein causing the shuttle device to dock at the shuttle dock comprises:
• causing a magazine mechanism, of a shuttle queue of the handling unit, to load the shuttle device to the shuttle dock;
• causing, by the processor, an opening mechanism of the handling unit to open the shuttle device docked at the shuttle dock by rotating an outer shell member, relative to an inner shell member, to expose an internal compartment of the shuttle device;
• causing, by the processor, a loading mechanism of the handling unit to load one or more instruments, in accordance with the instruction, into the internal compartment of the shuttle device;
• and
• causing, by the processor, the shuttle device to travel from the handling unit to the head unit via a transportation system disposed between the handling unit and the head unit.