Systems and methods for specimen identification, management, and procedure monitoring

A method for inventory tracking using cryogenic containers, the method comprising:

• maintaining samples in cryogenic containers having attached, integral or physically included RFID tags, the cryogenic containers being at least partially submerged in cryogenic fluid;
• scanning, using an RFID scanner, the RFID tags of the cryogenic containers while the cryogenic containers containing samples are at least partially submerged in the cryogenic fluid;
• and
• performing inventory tracking of the samples in the cryogenic containers, with a computing device, based on the scanning the RFID tags of the cryogenic containers.

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

• receiving, from an RFID scanner, scans of RFID tags of cryogenic containers while the cryogenic containers, having the RFID tags and containing samples, are maintained at least partially submerged in cryogenic fluid;
• performing inventory tracking of the samples in the cryogenic containers, using a database in memory, based on the received scans of the RFID tags of the cryogenic containers;
• and
• generating reports relating to the inventory tracking of the samples in the cryogenic containers.

A method for verifying identity of a sample, the method comprising:

• placing the sample for visualization under a microscope camera at a central location, the sample having an attached, integral, or physically included label, the label containing sample identifiable information thereon, the microscope camera connected to a first display screen, such that the label is displayed on the first display screen;
• identifying the information on the label displayed on the first display screen;
• providing the sample identifiable information captured by the microscope camera to be displayed on a second display screen at a remote location through an information transmittal system connected to the microscope camera, and
• verifying the sample identifiable information at the remote location based on the remotely provided sample identifiable information, independently from the identification of the sample at the central location.

A system for verifying identity of a sample, the system comprising:

• a microscope camera at a central location, to capture sample identifiable information that is attached to, integral to, or physically included in the sample and a first display screen connected to the microscope camera, to visualize the sample identifiable information;
• a first computing device having memory and a processor, the first computing device connected to the microscope camera;
• and
• a second display screen at a remote location, the second display screen connected to the second computing device and arranged to display the sample identifiable information captured by the microscope camera and transmitted through the first computing device, the network, and the second computing device, such that the sample identifiable information is verified at the remote location based on the remotely provided sample identifiable information, independently from verification of the sample at the central location.

A method for monitoring a procedure, the method comprising:

• capturing the procedure with a microscope camera;
• visualizing the procedure on a first display screen connected to the microscope;
• and
• visualizing the procedure on a second screen at a remote location through an information transmittal system connected to the microscope camera, thereby monitoring the procedure at the central location and the remote location,
• the procedure comprising verifying identity of a sample, the verifying comprising:
• placing the sample for visualization under the microscope camera, the sample having an attached, integral, or physically included label on the surface, the label containing sample identifiable information thereon, such that the label is displayed on the first display screen;
• identifying the information on the label displayed on the first display screen;
• providing the sample identifiable information captured by the microscope camera to be displayed on a second display screen through the information transmittal system;
• and
• verifying the sample identifiable information at the remote location based on the remotely provided sample identifiable information, independently from the identification of the sample at the central location.