WO2019071315A1

WO2019071315A1 - Systems and methods for marking or penetrating a part of an animal

Info

Publication number: WO2019071315A1
Application number: PCT/AU2018/051104
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adrian Knight; Paul Donohoe; Michael Potas; Lee Blattman; Julian HIGGINSION
Original assignee: Somark Group Limited
Priority date: 2017-10-12
Filing date: 2018-10-12
Publication date: 2019-04-18

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system (10) for penetrating a part (12) of an animal. The system (10) is configured to determine surface position information indicative of a position of a surface (16) of the part (12), the surface (16) being the upper surface of a proximal portion of the tail (12). The system (10) is configured to control penetration of the part (12) through the surface (16) using the surface position information so determined.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MARKING OR PENETRATING A PART OF AN ANIMAL

Technical field

The disclosure herein generally relates to a system and method for penetrating a part of an animal, and a system and method for marking a part of an animal.

Background

Animals including laboratory animals generally need to be identified. An animal may be tattooed with identity information in the form of a plurality of symbols, have an identity tag attached, or have an ear notched. The identity of animals may be determined by inspecting the ear identification notches, attached tag, or tattoo. Radio frequency identified tags may be externally attached to an animal so that it can be identified. An RFID tag may be attached to an ear of an animal, for example. This may be time consuming and/or difficult in some circumstances, for example when attaching RFID tags to or tattoing hundreds or thousands of mice in a facility. These operations may require skilled technicians. Mistakes may occur, and accuracy may be variable or impossible to achieve.

In the context of this specification, an animal may be generally any suitable non-human animal or human, including a laboratory animal, a rodent, a rat, a mouse, a cat, a dog, a rabbit, a bird including a poultry bird, livestock including cattle, sheep and horses, a zoo animal or generally any type of animal.

Summary

Disclosed herein is a system for penetrating a part of an animal. The system is configured to determine surface position information indicative of a position of a surface of the part. The system is configured to control penetration of the part through the surface using the surface position information so determined.

An embodiment is configured to determine the surface position information by sensing of the surface.

An embodiment is configured to determine the surface position information by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface. An embodiment is configured to determine surface position information indicative of a plurality of points on the surface of the part by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface at each of a plurality of penetrating instrument positions.

In an embodiment, the sensing may comprise capacitive sensing. Alternatively, the sensing may be mechanical sensing, electro-mechanical sensing, or generally any suitable form of sensing.

An embodiment is configured to limit the depth to which the penetrating instrument penetrates the part to a penetration depth.

An embodiment is configured to determine the penetration depth using the surface position information so determined. In an embodiment, the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal and configured to dispose within the dermal layer a pigment for marking the part.

In an embodiment, the penetrating instrument is configured for inserting a physiologically active substance into the part.

In an embodiment, the penetrating instrument comprises at least one of a hypodermic needle and a cannula. The hypodermic needle and/or cannula may be for injecting a physiologically active liquid into the part. Alternatively, the hypodermic needle and/or cannula may be for

venepuncture, for example for taking blood from the part.

In an embodiment, the penetrating instrument comprises a cannula for disposing a radio frequency identification tag into the part. Disclosed herein is a system for marking a part of an animal with at least one symbol by depositing a pigment in the part with a needle. The system is configured to determine surface position information indicative of the position of the surface of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface. The system is configured for each of the at least one symbol, position the needle at a respective symbol position and control the penetration of the surface by the needle using the surface position information so determined.

In an embodiment, the system is configured to determine surface position information indicative of a plurality of points on a surface of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface at each of a plurality of needle positions. In an embodiment, the sensing comprises capacitive sensing. Alternatively, the sensing may comprise mechanical sensing, electro-mechanical sensing, or generally any suitable form of sensing of the surface.

In an embodiment, the part is the tail of a rodent.

An embodiment is configured to limit the depth to which the needle penetrates the part to a penetration depth.

An embodiment is configured to determine the penetration depth using the surface position information.

In an embodiment, the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal.

An embodiment is configured to deposit the pigment on the surface of the part.

In an embodiment, the plurality of needle positions are each at a position of at least one of at least one symbol.

Disclosed herein is a method for penetrating a part of an animal. The method comprises the step of determining surface position information indicative of a position of a surface of the part. The method comprises controlling penetration of the part through the surface using the surface position information so determined.

An embodiment comprises the step of determining the surface position information by sensing of the surface.

An embodiment comprises the step of determining the surface position information comprises determining the surface position information by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface.

An embodiment comprises the step of determining surface position information indicative of a plurality of points on the surface of the part by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface at each of a plurality of penetrating instrument positions.

In an embodiment, the sensing may comprise capacitive sensing. Alternatively, the sensing may comprise mechanical sensing, electro-mechanical sensing, or generally any suitable form of sensing. An embodiment comprises the step of limiting the depth to which the penetrating instrument penetrates the part to a penetration depth.

An embodiment comprises the step of determining the penetration depth using the surface position information so determined. In an embodiment, the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal, and comprises the step of disposing within the dermal layer a pigment for marking the part.

An embodiment comprises the step of inserting a physiologically active substance in the part with the penetrating instrument.

An embodiment comprises the step of injecting a physiologically active liquid into the animal with the penetrating instrument.

An embodiment comprises the step of disposing a radio frequency identification tag into the animal with the penetrating instrument.

Disclosed herein is a method for marking a part of an animal with at least one symbol by depositing a pigment in the part with a needle. The method comprises the step of determining surface position information indicative of the position of the surface of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface. The method comprises the step of, for each of the at least one symbol, positioning the needle at a respective symbol position and controlling the penetration of the surface by the needle using the surface position information so determined.

In an embodiment, the step of determining surface position information comprises determining surface position information indicative of the position at the surface a plurality of points on a surface of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface at each of a plurality of needle positions.

In an embodiment, the sensing may comprise capacitive sensing. Alternatively, the sensing may comprise mechanical sensing, electro-mechanical sensing, or generally any suitable form of sensing

In an embodiment, the part is the tail of a rodent.

An embodiment comprises the step of limiting the depth to which the needle penetrates the part to a penetration depth. An embodiment comprises the step of determining the penetration depth using the surface position information.

An embodiment comprises the step of depositing the pigment on the surface of the part. For any of the above disclosures, the animal may be non-human animal. Alternatively, the animal may be a human.

Any of the various features of each of the above disclosures, and of the various features of the embodiments described below, can be combined as suitable and desired.

Brief description of the figures Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the

accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a system for penetrating a part of an animal.

Figure 2 shows a side elevational view of the system of figure 1. Figure 3 shows a front elevational view of the system of figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a top view of the system of figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a side view of an animal that can be penetrated by the system of figure 1.

Figure 6 shows an animal restraint receivable by the system of figure 1.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an example of a restraint receiver. Description of embodiments

Figures 1-4 show various views of an embodiment of a system in the form of an apparatus for penetrating a part of an animal, the system being generally indicated by the numeral 10. In the present embodiment and as shown in figure 5, the part 12 is the tail of a rodent 14 in the form of a mouse or rat, shown in figure 5, however the animal may be any suitable animal, for example a bird, dog or cattle, and the part 12 may be any suitable part of the animal 10, for example foot, ear or appendage. The system 10 is configured to determine surface position information indicative of a position of a surface 16 of the part 12, in this but not all embodiments the surface 16 being the upper surface of a proximal portion of the tail 12. The system 10 is configured to control penetration of the part 12 through the surface 16 using the surface position information so determined. Figure 6 shows an example of an animal restraint 18 comprising a restraint portion 20 configured to restrain the rodent, and a tail presentation portion 22 that is elongated for supporting the length of the tail and configured to present the surface 16 of the tail 12 for penetration by the system 10. In this but not all embodiments, embodiment, the surface is a dorsal surface of the tail 12. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an example of a restraint receiver 24. The animal restraint 18 is received by the restraint receiver 24 of the 10 system, the restraint receiver 24 comprises a sleeve in the form of a splatter proof sleeve shown in figure 7 and in use is received within an annular opening 25 defined by a ring bearing 27 of the system 10. The sleeve 24 comprises a tube 26 have a slot 29 along its side wall. While the slot 29 runs along the full length of the tube 26 in the present embodiment, the slot 29 may not run along the full length of the tube in some other embodiments. In use, the slot 29 provides a passage for the penetrating instrument 26, providing access to the part 12 and surface 16.. The splatter proof sleeve 24 is a barrier to splatter from the penetration, which may result in cross-contamination of mice processed by the system 10, or degrade or damage the system 10. The splatter proof sleeve may comprise stainless steel, a polymer, or generally any suitable material.

The system 10 is configured to determine the surface position information by sensing, in this embodiment by capacitive sensing, of the surface 16. The proximity of a penetrating instrument 26 in the form of a needle to the surface is capacitively sensed. The needle in this embodiment, which is for marking the animal 14, is a tattooing needle (3RL or 4RL round liner tattooing needles, for example, or generally any suitable tattooing needle). The system 10 comprises and electrical path that electrically connects the penetrating instrument 20 to capacitance

measurement circuitry 31. The capacitive measurement circuitry 31 comprises a capacitance meter based on a relaxation oscillator. In this embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises the capacitive measurement circuitry 31, the semiconductor device is configured to output at a semiconductor device output in the form of an electrical pad a logical signal indicative of the proximity of the penetrating instrument 26 to the surface 16. A logical high (e.g. 1) indicates that the penetrating instrument is in contact with the part 12, and a logical low (e.g. 0) indicates that the penetrating instrument is not in contact with the surface 16. In an alternative embodiment, the semiconductor device outputs a signal having a value in a distance range scale, the value being indicative of a measure of the distance between the surface 16 and the penetrating instrument 26.

The system 10 is configured to determine surface position information indicative of a plurality of points 28, 30 on the surface of the part by sensing, in this embodiment by capacitive sensing, the proximity of a penetrating instrument 26 to the surface 16 at each of a plurality of longitudinally displaced (or other displacement in alternative geometries) penetrating instrument positions 30, 32. The system 10 in this but not all embodiments is also configured to interpolate surface position information for at least one more point 34 between points 28 and 30. The system 10 in this but not all embodiments assumes that the ridge of the tail 12 is linear, at least between points 28 and 30, and a processor of the system 10 performs a linear interpolation to determine the surface position information for intermediate point 34, and/or extrapolation to determine the surface position information for points not between points 28 and 30. Interpolation and/or extrapolation may reduce the number of sensing operations and decrease the time taken to process an animal. In this embodiment, one of the plurality of points is at a first symbol position and another of the plurality of points is at a last symbolposition. The needle is downwardly displaced until contact with the surface 16 is detected. The processor comprises a computer program for instructing the processor, which when executed by the processor causes the system 10 to perform methods disclosed herein. Alternatively, the system 10 may determine the surface position at every point the penetrating instrument 26 is to penetrate the part 12, or at every symbol position. Interpolation or other calculations may not be required, and accuracy may increase. This may, however, result in more measurements resulting in slower operation.

The plurality of points may be along the ridge of the tail, or may form a matrix of points that curve around one or both sides and along tail.

As the needle position is moved from a symbol position to another symbol position, the height of the needle is adjusted to account for the tapper in the tail 12. The height of the needle may also be adjusted as the needle is scanned during the marking of a single symbol, as in the present but not all embodiments. The height of the needle generally but not necessarily needs to be adjusted for each animal because the size of the tail varies. The tail of a mouse pup is thinner than that of an adult mouse, which is again thinner than the tail of a rat. The tail of a mouse pup is approximately the diameter of a pencil led.

The system 10 is configured, in this but not all embodiments, to mark a part of an animal with at least one symbol, for example a sequence of symbols, by depositing a pigment in the part with the penetrating instrument 26, which is in the form of a needle. The symbols may comprise, for example, alphanumeric characters, Chinese symbols, pictorial symbols, or generally any suitable symbol. The system 10 is configured to determine surface position information indicative of the plurality of points 28,30 on a surface of the part 12 of the animal 14 by sensing, in this embodiment by capacitive sensing, the proximity of the needle 26 to the surface at each of a plurality of needle positions 30, 32. Each of the plurality of needle positions are for marking a symbol of the sequence of symbols, and are in this embodiment sequential along the tail (in either direction). The system is configured for each of the sequence of symbols, position the needle at a respective symbol position and control the penetration of the surface by the needle using the surface position information so determined. In an embodiment, the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal and configured to dispose within the dermal layer a pigment for marking the part. The pigment may be disposed between, say, 50 μιη and 100 μιη, beneath the surface 16 of the animal's skin.

Consequently, compensation for variations in tail size and taper may result in a more permanent mark and may result in less injury for the animal 14. The processor is in this embodiment configured to receive from a computer network the sequence of symbols. The processor may comprise a printed circuit board assembly comprising a microprocessor in information communication with the capacitive sensing semiconductor device, which may be mounted on a different or the same printed circuit board as the

microprocessor. The processor has an interface for an external user interface, and computer network interfaces for Bluetooth, RS485, or generally any suitable computer network protocol. The sequence of symbols may indicate the identity of the animal or some other information associated with the animal, for example the sex, strain, date of birth, experiment identification or generally any suitable information.

The system 10 comprises a pigment dispensing system 34 comprising a pigment reservoir 36 and a pigment outlet 38 orientated to deposit pigment on the surface 16 via the needle 26, or alternatively directly on the surface. The pigment is in the form of a liquid having suspended pigment particles, however it may comprise a pigment powder, a pigment solution, or generally any suitable form of pigment. The pigment may run down the needle 26 to the tip thereof, and the pigment may drop off the tip or otherwise be dispersed on the surface. The system 10 is configured to deposit the pigment at each of the plurality of symbol positions. As the needle 26 penetrates the part 12, the pigment on the needle 26 and/or surface 16 is transferred into the part 12, and captured therein when the puncture caused by the needle heals. The system 10 is configured to limit the depth to which the needle 26 penetrates the part 12 to a penetration depth. Penetrating too far may injure the animal. Penetrating too little may result in a mark that is not permanent. For depositing pigment into the part 12, the depth may be within the dermal layer of the part 12. The depth of the dermal layer may be predetermined. Generally, the depth of the dermal layer is related to the diameter of the tail 12 and may be assumed to be linearly related to the tail diameter. The diameter of the tail 12 is determined using the surface position information, given that the tail 12 is resting on a reference surface 38 of the animal restraint 18. The processor is configured to determine the penetration depth using the surface position information.

The system 10 comprises a penetrating instrument mount 40 in the form of a vertical stage to which the penetrating instrument 26 is mounted. The penetrating instrument mount 40 is operationally coupled to a carriage 42 movable parallel to the tail presentation portion 22 and so the tail 12 when received by the system 10. The carriage is movably mounted on at least one rail 44 (in this embodiment two), which is parallel to the tail 12. A motor in the form of a stepper motor (or alternatively a motor and a linear encoder, or generally any suitable motor) moves the carriage along the rail to move the penetrating instrument 26 along the tail 12. This enables the penetrating instrument 26 to move the penetrating instrument 26 between positions, for example symbol positions, along on the tail 12. The penetrating instrument mount 40 is also operationally coupled to the rotary bearing 27 for rotation around a longitudinal axial thereof along which the tail presentation portion 22 and so the tail 12 is disposed is use. The rotary bearing 27 is driven by a belt coupled to a stepper motor. The rotary bearing and carriage enable scanning of the penetrating instrument 26 to mark the tail with a symbol of the sequence of symbols. The carriage. In this but not all embodiments, the rotary bearing is intermediate of the rail 44 and the penetrating instrument mount 24. Intermediate the rotary bearing and the penetrating instrument mount 40 is another carriage arranged for radial movement of the penetrating instrument mount 40 relative to the rotary bearing.

In alternative embodiments, the proximity of the penetrating instrument to the surface 16 of the part 12 of the animal 14 may be sensed using generally any suitable form of proximity sensing. In one embodiment, an electromechanical proximity sensor is used. The mount 40 may be slidably mounted for vertical movement, and supported vertically by a spring. When the penetrating instrument 26 touches the surface 16 a relative movement is used to activate a switch in the form of a miniature snap-action switch or micro-switch, closing a proximity sensing circuit. This mechanism, however, may have mechanical oscillations which may repeatedly operate the switch, making proximity sensing more difficult or cause unwanted penetrations of the surface 16. Capacitive sensing may not have this problem, or problems associated with other forms of proximity sensing.

The system 10 is configured to prevent penetration if the tail is detected to be incorrectly positioned, for example by user error.

The system 10 has a calibration pad or site to give an initial calibration, which may prevent the penetrating instrument from going through the device.

The animal restraint 18 comprises a cleaning pad 42 mounted to the tail presentation portion 22 thereof. The system 10 is configured to penetrate the cleaning pad with the penetrating instrument 26 to clean it. The system 10 is configured to sense the proximity of the penetrating instrument 26 and the cleaning pad. If contact between the penetrating instrument 26 and the cleaning pad is not detected then the penetrating instrument 26 is determined not to be cleaned.

The penetrating instrument may additionally or alternatively:

1. be configured to insert a physiologically active substance into the part, examples of which include but are not limited to at least one of a medicament, a pathogen, a pharmacological substance, a toxin, a carcinogenic cell or agent, an organism examples of which include a virus and a bacterium, and generally any suitable physiologically active substance.

2. comprise at least one of a hypodermic needle and a cannula, for injecting a

physiologically active liquid into the animal or venepuncture, for example for taking blood from the part.

3. comprise a cannula for disposing a radio frequency identification tag into the part.

Now that embodiments have been described, it will be appreciated that some embodiments have some of the following advantages:

• The depth of penetration can be controlled, even without prior knowledge of the size of the animal part being marked.

• The marking, injecting or RFID tag insertion can be performed with minimal human skilled labour.

• The machine controlled penetration is more reliable and accurate then human controlled penetration.

• The one penetrating instrument size can be used with different sized animals, by the machine adjustment of penetrating instrument height. • Machine controlled height adjustment relieves manufacturing tolerances in the rest of the machine. Typically, depth tolerances are of the order of no more than 50 μπι, a value which is hard to achieve during manufacture.

• The machine controlled height adjustment adjusts for machine calibration, size of tail, the taper of the tail, and poor tail positioning.

Variations and/or modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Reference to a feature disclosed herein does not mean that all embodiments must include the feature. Prior art, if any, described herein is not to be taken as an admission that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word

"comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, that is to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A system for penetrating a part of an animal, the system being configured to determine surface position information indicative of a position of a surface of the part, and control penetration of the part through the surface using the surface position information so determined.

2. A system defined by claim 1 configured to determine the surface position information by sensing of the surface.

3. A system defined by claim 2 configured to determine the surface position information by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface.

4. A system defined by claim 1 configured to determine surface position information

indicative of a plurality of points on the surface of the part by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface at each of a plurality of penetrating instrument positions.

5. A system defined by any one of the claims 2 to 4 wherein the sensing comprises

capacitive sensing.

6. A system defined by claim 4 configured to limit the depth to which the penetrating

instrument penetrates the part to a penetration depth.

7. A system defined by claim 6 configured to determine the penetration depth using the surface position information so determined.

8. A system defined by either one of claim 6 and claim 7 wherein the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal and configured to dispose into the dermal layer a pigment for marking the part.

9. A system defined by any one of the claims 1 to 8 wherein the penetrating instrument is configured for inserting a physiologically active substance into the part.

10. A system defined by any one of the claims 1 to 9 wherein the penetrating instrument comprises at least one of a hypodermic needle and a cannula.

11. A system defined by any one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein the penetrating instrument comprises a cannula for disposing a radio frequency identification tag into the part.

12. A system for marking a part of an animal with at least one symbol by depositing a pigment in the part with a needle, the system being configured to:

determine surface position information indicative of the position of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface; and

for each of the sequence of symbols, position the needle at a respective symbol position and control the penetration of the surface by the needle using the surface position information so determined.

13. A system defined by claim 12 configured to determine surface position information

indicative of a plurality of points on a surface of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface at each of a plurality of needle positions.

14. A system defined by either one of claim 12 and claim 13 wherein the sensing comprises capacitive sensing.

15. A system defined by either one of claim 12 and claim 13 wherein the part is the tail of a rodent.

16. A system defined claim 15 configured to limit the depth to which the needle penetrates the part to a penetration depth.

17. A system defined by claim 16 configured to determine the penetration depth using the surface position information.

18. A system defined by either one of claim 16 and claim 17 wherein the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal.

19. A system defined by any one of the claims 12 to 18 configured to deposit the pigment on the surface of the part.

20. A system defined by any one of the claims 12 to 19 wherein the plurality of needle

positions are each at a position of one of the sequence of symbols.

21. A method for penetrating a part of an animal, the method comprising the steps of:

determining surface position information indicative of a position of a surface of the part; and

controlling penetration of the part through the surface using the surface position information so determined.

22. A method defined by claim 21 comprising the step of determining the surface position information by sensing of the surface.

23. A method defined by claim 21 wherein the step of determining the surface position

information comprises determining the surface position information by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface.

24. A method defined by any one of the claims claim 21 to 23 comprising the step of

determining surface position information indicative of a plurality of points on the surface of the part by sensing the proximity of a penetrating instrument to the surface at each of a plurality of penetrating instrument positions.

25. A method defined by any one of the claims 21 to 24 wherein the sensing comprises

capacitive sensing.

26. A method defined by any one of the claims 18 to 21 comprising the step of limiting the depth to which the penetrating instrument penetrates the part to a penetration depth.

27. A method defined by any one of the claims 18 to 22 comprising the step of determining the penetration depth using the surface position information so determined.

28. A method defined by either one of claim 22 and claim 23 wherein the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal, and comprising the step of disposing within the dermal layer a pigment for marking the part.

29. A method defined by any one of the claims 18 to 28, comprising the step of inserting a physiologically active substance into the part with the penetrating instrument.

30. A method defined by any one of the claims 18 to 29 comprising the step of injecting a physiologically active liquid into the part with the penetrating instrument.

31. A method defined by any one of the claims 18 to 230 comprising the step of disposing a radio frequency identification tag into the part with the penetrating instrument.

32. A method for marking a part of an animal with at least one symbol by depositing a

pigment in the part with a needle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining surface position information indicative of the position of the surface of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface; and

for each of the sequence of symbols, positioning the needle at a respective symbol position and controlling the penetration of the surface by the needle using the surface position information so determined.

33. A method defined by claim 29 wherein the step of determining the surface position

comprises determining surface position information indicative of a plurality of points on a surface of the part of the animal by sensing the proximity of the needle to the surface at each of a plurality of needle positions.

34. A method defined by claim 28 wherein the part is the tail of a rodent.

35. A method defined claim either one of claim 28 and claim 29 comprising the step of

limiting the depth to which the needle penetrates the part to a penetration depth.

36. A method defined by claim 30 comprising the step of determining the penetration depth using the surface position information.

37. A method defined by either one of claim 30 and claim 31 wherein the penetration depth is within a dermal layer of the part of the animal.

38. A method defined by any one of the claims 28 to 32 comprising the step of depositing the pigment on the surface of the part.

39. A method or system defined by any one of the preceding claims wherein the animal is a non-human animal.

40. A method or system defined by any one of the preceding claims wherein the animal is a human.

41. A method defined by any one of the claims 18 to 30 comprising the step of taking blood from the part with the penetrating instrument.