Laboratory robotics is the act of using robots in biology, chemistry or engineering labs. For example, pharmaceutical companies employ robots to move biological or chemical samples around to synthesize novel chemical entities or to test pharmaceutical value of existing chemical matter.[1][2] Advanced laboratory robotics can be used to completely automate the process of science, as in the Robot Scientist project.[3]
Laboratory processes are suited for robotic automation as the processes are composed of repetitive movements (e.g., pick/place, liquid/solid additions, heating/cooling, mixing, shaking, and testing). Many laboratory robots are commonly referred as autosamplers, as their main task is to provide continuous samples for analytical devices.
- ^ Mortimer, James A.; Hurst, W. Jeffrey (1987). Laboratory robotics: a guide to planning, programming, and applications. New York, N.Y: VCH Publishers. ISBN 978-0-89573-322-1.
- ^ Ward, K. B.; Perozzo, M. A.; Zuk, W. M. (1988). "Automatic preparation of protein crystals using laboratory robotics and automated visual inspection". Journal of Crystal Growth. 90 (1–3): 325–339. Bibcode:1988JCrGr..90..325W. doi:10.1016/0022-0248(88)90328-4.
- ^ King, R. D.; Whelan, K. E.; Jones, F. M.; Reiser, P. G. K.; Bryant, C. H.; Muggleton, S. H.; Kell, D. B.; Oliver, S. G. (2004). "Functional genomic hypothesis generation and experimentation by a robot scientist". Nature. 427 (6971): 247–252. Bibcode:2004Natur.427..247K. doi:10.1038/nature02236. PMID 14724639. S2CID 4428725.