There is described an apparatus for automatically depositing, preserving and recovering specimens of biological materials contained in test tubes infrom a refrigerated store. The telescopic post includes at least one switch disposed on one end of the telescopic post, wherein the switch is for lengthening or shortening the telescopic post. A plurality of information processing modules can be removably received in the carrier, each module may have a communications port operable to connect to a communications network internal to the carrier. Further, highlights are identified, and for the highlights the dynamic range is stretched to an even higher degree than for the regional contrast signal.