• Laboratory automation company Tecan has developed a new pipetting utility, the Phase Separator, as an addition to its Fluent Automation Workstation. The Phase Separator, which utilises artificial intelligence (AI) technology, can increase the speed and accuracy of liquid separation applications, such as liquid biopsy and biobanking.
• Automation in laboratory workflows requires the integration of relevant technology, software, reagents and consumables to reduce manual work. This allows scientists to focus on research and innovation.
• The use of AI in laboratory automation can aid in sample handling, pattern recognition and image analysis. AI can provide guidance, propose workflows and reduce errors, but ultimately, a human determines the outcome.
• The progress in laboratory automation has been driven by collaborations to better meet the needs of labs and companies. For instance, Revvity, a leader in automation, acquired Oxford Immunotec and can now offer fully automated workflows for tuberculosis testing.
• Usability is crucial for the success of laboratory automation. Tecan continually enhances its Fluent Automation Workstation with new features, such as the improved Air FCA with MultiSense technology, which provides AI-based pressure monitor pipetting. Tecan also developed the DeckCheck feature, which identifies discrepancies and allows users to correct errors, and used machine learning to improve the system.
• Sustainable practices are a challenge in laboratory automation, but companies such as QIAGEN are finding solutions by reducing plastic and cardboard consumption in purification kits, automating waste tubes and developing more compact kits.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific is aiming to make low-cost automation accessible to more laboratories and is working to improve the integration of automation-related information with laboratory information management systems and electronic laboratory notebook systems. The company also expects AI to play an increased role in automation, particularly for improving precision and reliability in the analytical process.