Robots have been recently introduced in biochemical or clinical laboratories to automate certain manual operations. However, current systems typically involve a single arm on a fixed base ( or with very limited mobility) and introduce rigid envelope and floor-space constraints. Such systems ar typically operated in a preprogrammed fashion and cannot adapt to changes in the environment. In this program, they will explore the feasibility of developing innovative laboratory automation systems and concepts which involve multiple mobile robot modules magnetically suspended from a common overhead passive drive surface which defines the overall workcell envelope. Each robot may be equipped with grippers or other custom end- effectors for interfacing to labware and/or analytical equipment or carry vision sensors for feedback. This configuration results to more effective use of the available envelope, higher productivity and performance through multi-robot cooperation, better mobility, greater modularity, reconfigurability, and redundancy. In addition, the proposed robotic concepts may also be used as teleoperated or telerobotic systems for totally isolated laboratory environments. In Phase I, they will analyze relevant laboratory applications and requirements; propose system architectures and designs, develop limited demonstration prototypes, quantify performance improvements and limitations; establish the feasibility of proposed concepts, and plan Phase II research.
