Rupp Nicole, Wienbruch Rebecca, Gröber Julia Esther, Köppl Michael, Dreischke Ruven, Ballardt Larissa, König Klaus, Zuchner Thole
Faculty for Life Sciences, Professorship for Bioanalytics and Laboratory Automation, Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, Anton-Günther-Str. 51, 72488, Sigmaringen, Germany.
8-BOT Robotics, Schiffstr. 46, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jun 20;15(1):20160. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-05404-3.
The complexity and diversity of bioscientific research laboratories, creates significant challenges for automation. Their varying workflows, personnel, and instruments, often hinder smaller research laboratories to benefit from automated processes, as existing systems seem unsuitable due to low flexibility. Therefore, we developed a versatile robotic system designed to automate a broad range of bioscience laboratory processes. Central to our system and novel, compared to all other kinds of laboratory automation concepts, is a multifunctional end effector, inspired by the Swiss-army-knife, capable of executing multiple tasks, including an operating finger, a camera system, a gripper, and a pipette. This end effector is mounted on a 6-axis robotic arm, supported by a mobile base, enabling easy transport across different bioanalytical laboratory environments. Utilizing windows manipulating scripting routines, allows the automation of diverse software programs including software-based laboratory devices. We demonstrate the capabilities of the Laboratory Automation Robotic System (LARS) by automating the pH buffer adjustments, showcasing its potential to improve efficiency and reproducibility in bioscience research. The resulting prototype allows the integration of any laboratory instrument into a desired automation routine without limitations concerning device interfaces, while using a highly flexible multifunctional end-effector as a replacement of the human hand and eye.
生物科学研究实验室的复杂性和多样性给自动化带来了重大挑战。其不同的工作流程、人员和仪器,常常阻碍小型研究实验室从自动化流程中受益,因为现有系统由于灵活性低而显得不合适。因此,我们开发了一种通用的机器人系统,旨在实现广泛的生物科学实验室流程自动化。与所有其他类型的实验室自动化概念相比,我们系统的核心且新颖之处在于一种多功能末端执行器,它受到瑞士军刀的启发,能够执行多项任务,包括一个操作手指、一个摄像系统、一个夹具和一个移液器。这个末端执行器安装在一个6轴机器人手臂上,并由一个移动基座支撑,能够轻松在不同的生物分析实验室环境中运输。利用窗口操作脚本程序,可以实现包括基于软件的实验室设备在内的各种软件程序的自动化。我们通过自动化pH缓冲液调节来展示实验室自动化机器人系统(LARS)的能力,展示其在提高生物科学研究效率和可重复性方面的潜力。由此产生的原型允许将任何实验室仪器集成到所需的自动化程序中,而不受设备接口的限制,同时使用高度灵活的多功能末端执行器来替代人手和人眼。