INTEGRATED LABORATORY SYSTEM WITH AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS
A rover-based integrated laboratory system including autonomous mobile robots is disclosed. Namely, a rover-based integrated laboratory system is disclosed comprising a workspace; a laboratory component within the workspace, the laboratory component being adapted to perform a laboratory technique; a labware component within the workspace that is adapted to be used in the laboratory technique; and a rover component within the workspace that is operatively connected to the laboratory and the labware components, the rover component being an autonomous mobile robot.
1 . An automated laboratory system for liquid handling, comprising:
(i) a workspace, comprising:
fiducial markers forming a 2D coordinate system;
rover component that can navigate freely across the 2D coordinate system;
a plurality of vertically arranged levels;
an elevator to raise and lower the rover component to each of the plurality of vertically arranged levels;
a labware component within the workspace that comprises an RFID tag; and
a laboratory technique of a pipetting operation;
(ii) the rover component within the workspace, comprising
an RFID reader configured to read the RFID tag on the labware component;
one or more cameras, wherein the one or more cameras is used to identify a location of the rover component within the workspace by identification of the fiducial markers in the workspace;
an omni-wheel based drivetrain capable of moving in any direction without turning around;
a labware component carrier platform with capacitive sensing regions to sense presence of the labware component positioned on the labware component carrier platform; and
a spatula mechanism that is adapted to transfer the labware component from the rover component to a location within the workspace;
(iii) a fleet controller to command the rover component within the workspace to engage the labware component for the laboratory technique of the pipetting operation.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the labware component comprises a liquid handler device.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the liquid handler device is a multi-channel liquid handler with independent spanning and independent Z-actuation on each channel.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the liquid handler device is an 8-channel liquid handler with independent spanning and independent Z-actuation on each of the 8 channels.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the spatula mechanism providing vertical movement as a slideable spatula mechanism.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rover component with the omni-wheel based drivetrain is configured with an S-curve velocity motion profile.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein lab instruments may be placed freely in the workspace.
8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising control software on the fleet controller that schedules tasks for a variety of workflows occurring within the workspace, including a cell culture experiment task.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a battery charging station within the workspace, wherein the rover component can be battery powered and capable of maneuvering itself to the battery charging station arranged in the workspace.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the labware component carrier platform on the rover component comprises a weigh scale.
11 . A method for an automated laboratory for liquid handling, comprising:
(i) providing a workspace, comprising:
fiducial markers forming a 2D coordinate system;
an rover component that can navigate freely across the 2D coordinate system;
a plurality of vertically arranged levels;
an elevator to raise and lower the rover component to each of the plurality of vertically arranged levels;
a labware component within the workspace that comprises an RFID tag; and
a laboratory technique of a pipetting operation;
(ii) engaging the rover component within the workspace, comprising:
an RFID reader configured to read the RFID tag on the labware component;
one or more cameras, wherein the one or more cameras is used to identify a location of the rover component within the workspace by identification of the fiducial markers in the workspace;
an omni-wheel based drivetrain capable of moving in any direction without turning around;
a labware component carrier platform with capacitive sensing regions to sense presence of the labware component positioned on the labware component carrier platform; and
a spatula mechanism that is adapted to transfer the labware component from the rover component to a location within the workspace;
(iii) commanding with a fleet controller the rover component within the workspace through wireless communication to perform the laboratory technique of the pipetting operation.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the labware component comprises a liquid handler device.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the liquid handler device is a multi-channel liquid handler with independent spanning and independent Z-actuation on each channel.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the liquid handler device is an 8-channel liquid handler with independent spanning and independent Z-actuation on each of the 8 channels.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the spatula mechanism providing vertical movement as a slideable spatula mechanism.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the rover component with the omni-wheel based drivetrain is configured with an S-curve velocity motion profile.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein lab instruments may be placed freely in the workspace.
18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a battery charging station within the workspace, wherein the rover component can be battery powered and capable of maneuvering itself to the battery charging station arranged in the workspace.
19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising scheduling tasks on control software on the fleet controller that schedules tasks for a variety of workflows occurring within the workspace, including a cell culture experiment task.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the labware component carrier platform on the rover component comprises a weigh scale.