Bio Tech Industry

The use of automation to improve research efficiency is also demonstrated with a system comprising a mobile robotic platform that can autonomously navigate a laboratory performing reagent-dispensing and handling operations at a range of experimental benchtop stations (Burger et al., 2020). In combination with an artificial intelligence search algorithm, the system was able to use initial data to decide on reagent combinations most likely to include an optimal reaction mix. The capacity of the robotic equipment to operate at all hours, with pausing only to charge batteries, allowed it to test five experimental hypotheses in a fraction of the time a manual research team would have required. Although it was used to answer a research question within a chemistry context the concept would be readily applicable to life science experimental laboratories. The system shares similar liquid and solid reagent handling operations to a life science laboratory as well as the common challenge of there being too many variables for researchers to explore manually in a reasonable time. A further crucial advantage of this arrangement resides in the possibility, with appropriate safety controls, of operating as a hybrid manual-automated laboratory. A staffed day shift performing high-skilled tasks requiring on-the-spot decisions could be followed by a robotic night shift carrying out the repetitive aspects of procedures.