Laboratory Robotics: The Advent of "Soft " Instrumentation*

A general overview of the current state of the art in lab oratory robotics is coupled with a number of examples of the use of robots in sample preparation, analysis, and in the optimization of chemical reactions. A distinction is drawn between ''hard automation' ' and robotics based on the reprogrammability of the robot. S o m e suggest ions a s to how the robot will fit into both research and routine laboratories in the near future are put forth. Introduct ion Much of what is known about modern robotics has been de rived from the engineering of fully automated production lines which can be readily adapted to new products. In the case of industrial robots, this is achieved through a minimum of hard ware change and a substantial amount of reprogramming. A