System and apparatus for gripping biological treatment plate

Abstract

A system includes a plate, a robotic arm, a gripper, and a plate holder. The plate includes a plurality of sides, a bottom surface, and a top surface. The gripper is coupled to the robotic arm and supports the plate from below. The gripper includes gripper arms and the gripper arms are inserted below the plate from opposite lateral directions. The plate holder is sized and shaped to support the plate. The plate holder includes a recessed edge that allows the gripper arm to sufficiently access opposing sides of the plurality of sides of the plate and a portion of the bottom surface of the plate adjacent the opposing sides of the plate. The plate holder includes an alignment guide configured to align the plate with a predetermined position on the plate holder.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

[0002] The following application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety: US 63 / 362,968. Background Art Technical Field

[0003] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to bioprocessing systems and apparatuses, such as gripper tools for supporting bioprocessing plates. Background Art

[0005] Biological laboratory processing requires many different processes to be performed on various samples. These processes include transferring samples from one place to another, pipetting samples, covering samples with protective covers, etc. In addition, it is desirable to avoid spillage and cross contamination of samples. Due to the large number of processes required for biology and the precious nature of samples, biological laboratories may use robotic systems to move and place plates containing samples in target areas for study.

[0006] Current robotic systems use grippers that hold onto the board by gently squeezing the board from opposite sides using friction to maintain grip. However, these grippers can be unreliable because any slight change in friction, imbalance, or misalignment can cause the board to tilt and / or slip from the grip of the gripper. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure and to enable one skilled in the relevant art to make and use the aspects described herein.

[0008] Figure 1A to Figure 1B A top view and a front cross-sectional view, respectively, of a prior art robotic plate gripper system are illustrated according to some aspects.

[0009] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C A top view, a front cross-sectional view, and a perspective view, respectively, of a plate holder according to some aspects are illustrated.

[0010] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C A top view, a front cross-sectional view, and a perspective view, respectively, of a plate holder supporting a plate according to some aspects are illustrated.

[0011] Figure 4 Illustrated is a front view of an alignment guide aligning a plate on a plate holder according to some aspects.

[0012] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5CA front view, a side view, and a perspective view, respectively, of a clamp proximate an area adjacent a recessed edge of a plate holder are illustrated in accordance with some aspects.

[0013] Fig. 6A A front cross-sectional view of a gripper system according to some embodiments is illustrated.

[0014] FIG. 6B to FIG. 6C A front cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, are illustrated of a clamp system for a support plate according to some aspects. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] This specification discloses one or more aspects that incorporate features of the present invention. The disclosed aspects merely illustrate the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the disclosed aspects. The present invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0016] The described aspects and references in the specification to "an aspect," "an aspect," "an example aspect," "an exemplary aspect," etc. indicate that the described aspects may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but each aspect may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same aspect. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an aspect, whether or not explicitly described, it is considered to be within the knowledge of a person skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other aspects.

[0017] Spatially relative terms, such as "below," "beneath," "above," "upper," and the like, may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or elements or one or more features depicted in a figure. Spatially relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0018] As used herein, the term "about" or "substantially" or "approximately" indicates a value of a given amount that may vary based on a particular technology. Based on a particular technology, the term "about" or "substantially" or "approximately" may indicate a value of a given amount that varies within, for example, 1-15% of a value (e.g., ±1%, ±2%, ±5%, ±10%, or ±15% of the value).

[0019] However, before describing such aspects in greater detail, it is instructive to describe the current state of the art to which the present disclosure improves.

[0020] Prior Art Robotic Systems

[0021] The bioprocessing environment may include multiple locations containing equipment used in a given process. The robotic system may transfer materials (such as plates) to the necessary locations within the bioprocessing environment. The robotic system may include a gripper for supporting the material during transfer.

[0022] Figure 1A to Figure 1B A top view and a side cross-sectional view of a prior art robotic plate gripper system 100 according to some aspects are illustrated, respectively. In some aspects, the prior art robotic plate gripper system 100 may include a plate holder 102, a plate 104, and a gripper 108. The prior art robotic plate gripper system 100 may utilize the gripper 108 to support the plate 104 and move the plate to and from the plate holder 102.

[0023] The plate holder 102 generally supports the plate 104 so that only the top portion of the plate sides 106a, 106b is exposed. Therefore, the design of the plate holder 102 limits how the clamp 108 holds the plate 104, because the bottom of the plate 104 is completely blocked.

[0024] The gripper 108 is typically equipped with gripper arms 110a, 110b arranged in parallel. The gripper arms 110a, 110b are mounted on the gripper 108 at the proximal end. The distal ends of the gripper arms 110a, 110b can engage with the plate 104 to support the plate 104 during transfer. The gripper arms 110a, 110b are typically configured to engage with the plate sides 106a, 106b using prongs 112. The prongs 112 can be a metallic material or an elastomeric material, such as rubber.

[0025] Due to the bracket design of the plate holder 102, the clamp 108 can grasp the plate 104 only by squeezing the top portion of the plate side 106a, 106b from the opposite side, thereby relying on friction to maintain the clamp. However, the clamp 108 may be unreliable because the clamp 108 moves the clamp arms 110a, 110b inward from the proximal ends of the clamp arms 110a, 110b, thereby introducing undesirable torque on the distal ends of the clamp arms 110a, 110b. Therefore, any twisting of the clamp arms 110a, 110b or misalignment or imbalance of the plate 104 will change the friction supporting the plate 104, thereby causing the plate 104 to tilt and / or slip from the grip of the clamp 108. In addition, the maximum mass of the plate 104 that the clamp 108 can handle is determined by the clamping force of the clamp 108 and the mutual friction coefficient between the clamp 108 and the plate 104. For unknown board surface textures or materials, it may be unpredictable whether the gripper 108 can stably lift the board 104. Therefore, the prior art robotic board gripper system 100 has a substantially unstable design.

[0026] Although current attempts to address undesirable torque have improved the support structure of the gripper 108, these attempts have introduced complexity and / or left unresolved gripping predictability issues. For example, pivots 111 have been introduced into some prior art gripper systems in an attempt to counteract undesirable torques using opposite rotations. Although pivots 111 help balance forces, they complicate gripper designs with more moving parts and do not address gripping predictability issues. In order to monitor frictional forces, the gripper 108 may employ force sensors to detect any uneven distribution of forces across the prongs 112. However, such monitoring structures are complex and expensive to monitor. Therefore, the prior art robotic plate gripper system 100 contains fundamental design flaws that have not yet been resolved.

[0027] Exemplary Gripper System

[0028] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C A top view, a front cross-sectional view, and a perspective view, respectively, of a plate holder 214 are illustrated according to some aspects. Figure 2B It is along Figure 2A Shown is a front cross section taken along line A. The plate holder 214 may include recessed edges 216a, 216b, alignment guides 218a, 218b, a plate holder 219, and a mounting site 220.

[0029] In some aspects, the plate holder 214 can be sized and shaped to support the plate 322 (eg, FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C In some aspects, the plate holder 214 may include recessed edges 216a, 216b configured to allow the gripper arms 532a, 532b (e.g., FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C 322 and portions of the bottom surface of the plate 322 adjacent to the opposite sides of the plate 322. In one exemplary aspect, the plate holder 214 can be formed in an "X" shape or similar to an "X" shape such that the plate holder includes recessed edges on the opposite sides of the plurality of sides. The design of the plate holder 214 can allow the gripper arms 532a, 532b (such as FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C 322) can be lifted, as portions of the bottom surface of the plate 322 are exposed and accessible. Those skilled in the art will recognize that plate holders according to aspects of the present invention can be formed in other shapes as long as there are recessed edges on opposite sides of the plate holder that allow access to opposite portions of the bottom surface of the plate when the plate is placed on top of the plate holder. Thus, plate holder 214 is an improvement over the bracket design of prior art plate holder 102.

[0030] In some aspects, the plate holder 214 can include alignment guides 218a, 218b configured to align the plate 322 with a predetermined location on the plate holder 214. In some aspects, the alignment guides 218a, 218b can be disposed on opposite corners of the plate holder 214. In some aspects, the alignment guides 218a, 218b can be angled guide pins disposed on opposite corners of the plate holder 214. Figure 4 Further details are provided regarding example alignment guides according to aspects of the invention.In some aspects, once the plate 322 has been placed on the plate holder 214, the alignment guides 218a, 218b can serve the dual function of aligning the plate 322 and holding the plate 322 securely aligned.

[0031] In some aspects, the plate holder 214 can include a mounting site 220 that is compatible with an attachment area on the mounting platform. In some aspects, the mounting site 220 can attach the plate holder 214 to the mounting platform via fasteners such as bolts, adhesives, magnets, clips, rotatable cams, etc.

[0032] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C A top view, a front cross-sectional view, and a perspective view, respectively, of a plate holder 214 supporting a plate 322, according to some aspects, are illustrated. Figure 3B It is along Figure 3A 322. In some aspects, the plate 322 may include a plurality of side surfaces, a bottom surface, and a top surface. In some aspects, the plate holder 214 may support the plate 322 so that the plate side surfaces 324a, 324b are at least partially exposed and accessible. In some aspects, the plate holder 214 may support the plate 322 so that the plate bottom surface portions 326a, 326b are exposed and accessible. For example, the plate bottom surface portions 326a, 326b adjacent to the plate side surfaces 324a, 324b, respectively, may be suspended over the recessed edges 216a, 216b of the plate holder 214. In some aspects, the plate holder 214 may support the plate 322 by contacting the inner portion of the bottom surface of the plate 322. In some aspects, the plate holder 214 may additionally or alternatively support the plate 322 by contacting the corners of the plate 322. In some aspects, the plate holder 214 can support the plate 322 by contacting portions of the bottom surface of the plate 322 adjacent to sides of the plate 322 other than the sides 324a, 324b. In some aspects, the alignment guides 218a, 218b can contact the plate corners 328a, 328b to align the plate 322 with a predetermined position on the plate holder 214.

[0033] In some aspects, the plate 322 can be used for bioprocessing. In some aspects, the plate 322 includes at least one of a biological sample well, a tip rack, or a test tube holder. For example, the plate 322 can be a 96-well bioprocessing plate.

[0034] In some aspects, the plate 322 can be formed into any shape or size. In some aspects, the plate 322 can conform to the microplate size standards proposed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) in 2004, as reaffirmed in 2017, the microplate sizing aspects of which are incorporated herein by reference: ANSI SLAS 1-2004 (R2012): Package Dimensions (last updated on January 9, 2004); ANSI SLAS 2-2004 (R2012): Height Dimensions (last updated on January 9, 2004); ANSI SLAS 3-2004 (R2012): Bottom Outer Flange Dimensions (last updated on January 9, 2004); ANSI SLAS 4-2004 (R2012): Hole Locations (last updated on January 9, 2004); and ANSI SLAS 6-2012: Bottom hole elevation (last updated on April 9, 2009). In one exemplary aspect, the plate 322 may have a length of approximately 127.76 mm and a width of approximately 85.48 mm. Those skilled in the art will recognize that such dimensions may have a tolerance of approximately ±0.5 mm.

[0035] Figure 4 A side view of alignment guides 218a, 218b aligning a plate 322 on a plate holder 214 is illustrated according to some aspects. In some aspects, the plate holder 214 may include alignment guides 218a, 218b configured to align the plate 322 with a predetermined position on the plate holder 214. In some aspects, the alignment guides 218a, 218b may be disposed on opposite corners of the plate holder 214, or on a plurality of other corners. In some aspects, the alignment guides 218a, 218b may be angled guide pins disposed on opposite corners of the plate holder 214. In some aspects, the angled guide pins may be disposed in a "V" shape that fits around the corners of the plate 322. In some aspects, the alignment guides 218a, 218b may contact the corners of the plate 322 to align the plate 322 with a predetermined position on the plate holder 214. In an example aspect, the alignment guides 218a, 218b can contact the board corners 328a, 328b.

[0036] In some aspects, the alignment guides 218a, 218b can align the plate 322 in the X and Y directions, and the plate holder 219 can align the plate 322 in the Z direction. In some aspects, the alignment guides can be disposed at an angle θ (theta) with the vertical axis to slide the plate 322 into a predetermined position on the plate holder 214 when the plate 322 is placed on the plate holder 214 from above. The angle θ can allow for positional tolerance when the plate 322 is placed on the plate holder 214 because the alignment guides 218a, 218b can automatically slide the plate 322 into a predetermined position on the plate holder 214 when the plate 322 slides downward (e.g., in the vertical direction) over one or more of the alignment guides 218a, 218b. With this configuration, the alignment guides 218 a , 218 b can ensure that the plate 322 is properly positioned such that the plate bottom surface portions 326 a , 326 b overhang the recessed edges 216 a , 216 b of the plate holder 214 .

[0037] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C A front view, a side view, and a perspective view of a clamp 530 approaching an area adjacent to a recessed edge of a plate holder 214 according to some aspects are illustrated, respectively. In some aspects, the size and shape of the clamp 530 can be designed to move seamlessly between a plurality of plate holders 214 without causing collisions. In some aspects, the clamp 530 can include clamp arms 532a, 532b. The clamp 530 can be configured to move the clamp arms 532a, 532b from opposite lateral directions into an area adjacent to a recessed edge of a plate holder 214. In some aspects, the clamp arms 532a, 532b can be moved into an area adjacent to recessed edges 216a, 216b. In some aspects, the size and shape of the clamp arms 532a, 532b can be designed to occupy these areas without colliding into the plate holder 214.

[0038] In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can be permanently coupled to the gripper 530 as an adhesive device. In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can be detachable from the gripper 530 as a modular feature.

[0039] like Figure 5C As shown, the clamp arms 532a, 532b can each include a lateral portion 534a, 534b, respectively, which protrudes inwardly from the side portions of the clamp arms 532a, 532b, thereby forming the clamp arms 532a, 532b into an "L" shape. The size and shape of the lateral portions 534a, 534b are designed to be inserted into the space formed by the recessed edges 216a, 216b. In this way, the lateral portions 534a, 534b can hold and / or lift the plate 322 from the bottom surface of the plate 322 rather than the side surface of the plate 322.

[0040] Fig. 6A 640 is a front cross-sectional view of the gripper system. Fig. 6A As shown, the gripper system 640 has not yet engaged the plate 322 . FIG. 6B to FIG. 6C A front cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, of a gripper system 640 engaged with a support plate 322 according to some aspects are illustrated. In some aspects, the gripper system 640 can include a robotic arm 642, a gripper 530, and gripper arms 532a, 532b having side portions 534a, 534b protruding inwardly from the sides of the gripper arms 532a, 532b. The gripper 530 can interact with the plate 322 relative to the plate holder 214.

[0041] In some aspects, the robotic arm 642 may be coupled to the chassis, such as an overhead support structure. The robotic arm 642 may be an articulated manipulator capable of moving in some or all directions. This configuration may allow the robotic arm 642 to move parallel to a platform containing a set of plate holders 214. The robotic arm 642 may then be able to move in a vertical direction (i.e., toward and away from the chassis) via an extension and retraction system internal to the robotic arm 642. In this manner, the robotic arm 642 may reach any position on or within the volume of the chassis. In some aspects, the chassis may have a cubic shape (e.g., a cube, a rectangular prism, a trapezoidal prism, etc.) with a volume, such as a platform with an overhead and / or side support structure.

[0042] In some aspects, the robotic arm 642 can be equipped with a set of modular tools that allow the robotic arm 642 to interact with objects within or near the volume of the chassis supporting the robotic arm 642. In some aspects, the set of modular tools can include grippers, magnetic mechanisms, suction mechanisms, lifters, etc. for interacting with objects such as plates, tubes, bowls, arrays, etc. In some aspects, the robotic arm 642 can be configured to remove and replace one of the modular tools from the chassis. In one exemplary aspect, the robotic arm 642 can be configured to remove and replace the gripper 530 from the chassis.

[0043] In some aspects, the robotic arm 642 can be operated to move an object, such as a plate 322, to a location on or within a bioprocessing environment. In some aspects, the robotic arm 642 can place, insert, or otherwise deliver a plate 322 to a plate holder 214 mounted on a platform. The robotic arm 642 can then access the plate 322 to move it to another plate holder 214 for processing.

[0044] In some aspects, the robotic arm 642 can include a gripper 530 to interact with the plate 322. In some aspects, the gripper 530 can include gripper arms 532a, 532b configured to support the plate 322 from below. The gripper 530 can be configured to insert the gripper arms 532a, 532b from opposite lateral directions below the plate 322, such as by Fig. 6A As shown by the arrow in Fig. 6A 32, the gripper arms 532a, 532b are spaced apart from opposite sides of the plate 322 but move inwardly to engage the plate 322. Figure 6B and Figure 6C The gripper arms 532a, 532b are illustrated after being moved inwardly to engage the plate 322 from below. In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b have lateral portions 534a, 534b that protrude inwardly from the sides of the gripper arms 532a, 532b such that the lateral portions 534a, 534b are located below the plate 322 in the space formed by the recessed edges 216a, 216b of the plate holder 214.

[0045] In some aspects, the gripper 530 may be specifically designed to grip the plate 322 from the side in addition to gripping the plate 322 from below with limited force. In one exemplary aspect, the gripper 530 may be configured to support the plate 322 with a low gripping force, so that the primary support means of the gripper 530 is from below the plate 322 rather than from the side of the plate 322. The low gripping force also prevents the gripper 530 from squeezing the plate 322 too tightly so that the plate 322 moves, shifts, or otherwise prevents it from resting on the lateral portions 534a, 534b when the plate 322 is held by the gripper 530. In some aspects, the gripping force applied by the gripper 530 is equal to or less than about 4.1667 kg. The gripper 530 may utilize, for example, but not limited to, an inexpensive hobbyist servo motor to provide the appropriate amount of force without the need for a force feedback sensor, which provides a greatly improved cost expenditure compared to prior art systems.

[0046] In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b may be configured to engage only the opposing portions of the bottom surface of the plate 322. In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b may be configured to engage both the opposing sides of the plate 322 and the portions of the bottom surface of the plate 322 adjacent to the opposing sides of the plate 322 simultaneously for stable support. In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b may be configured to engage both the plate sides 324a, 324b and the plate bottom surface portions 326a, 326b adjacent to the plate sides 324a, 324b simultaneously. In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b may be of any shape and size to be able to engage the opposing sides of the plate 322 and the portions of the bottom surface of the plate 322 adjacent to the opposing sides of the plate 322 simultaneously. In one exemplary aspect, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can be formed into an "L" shape, with the lateral portions 534a, 534b forming the lower portion of the "L." Using these exemplary configurations, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can more reliably support the plate 322 than prior art systems that rely on erratic application of force to only opposing sides of the plate.

[0047] In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can provide a side gripping option as an additional or alternative support for the plate 322. In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can be equipped with a prong 112 disposed on the lateral portions 534a, 534b. For example, in some aspects where the gripper arms 532a, 532b have an "L" shape, the prong 112 can be disposed on the lateral portions of the "L" shape. Thus, when used with the plate holder 214, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can support and lift the plate 322, but when used with the conventional plate holder 102, the prong 112 is used to lift the plate 322. In some aspects, the gripper arms 532a, 532b can remove a cover from an object on the plate 322 using the prong 112.

[0048] It should be understood that the Detailed Description section, rather than the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary aspects of the present invention as contemplated by the inventors, and thus are not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.

[0049] The above has described various aspects with the help of functional building blocks that illustrate the implementation of specified functions and their relationships. For the convenience of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined here. As long as the specified functions and their relationships are appropriately performed, alternative boundaries can be defined.

[0050] The foregoing description of specific aspects will fully reveal the general nature of the invention so that others can easily modify and / or adapt various applications of such specific aspects by applying the knowledge within the art without undue experimentation and without departing from the general concept of the invention. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance presented herein, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the disclosed aspects. It should be understood that the phrases or terms herein are for the purpose of description rather than limitation, so that the terms or phrases of this specification will be interpreted by those skilled in the art based on the teachings and guidance.

[0051] The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary aspects, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a plate comprising a plurality of sides, a bottom surface, and a top surface; Robotic arm; a gripper coupled to the robotic arm, the robotic arm configured to support the plate from below, wherein the gripper includes a gripper arm and is configured to insert the gripper arm under the plate from opposing lateral directions; A plate holder sized and shaped to support the plate, wherein: The plate holder includes a recessed edge configured to allow the gripper arm to have sufficient access to an opposite side of the plurality of sides of the plate and a portion of the bottom surface of the plate adjacent to the opposite side of the plate, and The plate holder includes an alignment guide configured to align the plate with a predetermined location on the plate holder.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plate is a 96-well bioprocessing plate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plate comprises at least one of a biological sample well, a tip rack, or a test tube holder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plate comprises a length of approximately 127.76 mm and a width of approximately 85.48 mm.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a chassis supporting the robotic arm and a set of modular tools containing the gripper, wherein the robotic arm is configured to remove and replace the gripper from the chassis.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gripper arm is formed into an “L” shape configured to simultaneously engage opposing sides of the plate and portions of the bottom surface of the plate adjacent the opposing sides of the plate.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the clamp is configured to support the panel with a clamping force equal to or less than approximately 4.1667 kg.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plate holder includes a mounting site compatible with an attachment area on a mounting platform.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the alignment guides are angled guide pins disposed on opposing corners of the plate holder.

10. A device comprising: a plate comprising a plurality of sides, a bottom surface, and a top surface; and A plate holder sized and shaped to support the plate, wherein: The plate holder includes a recessed edge configured to allow a gripper arm on a gripper to have sufficient access to an opposite side of the plurality of sides of the plate and a portion of the bottom surface of the plate adjacent to the opposite side of the plate, and The plate holder includes an alignment guide configured to align the plate with a predetermined location on the plate holder.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plate is a 96-well bioprocessing plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plate comprises at least one of a biological sample well, a tip rack, or a test tube holder.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plate holder includes a mounting site compatible with an attachment area on a mounting platform.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the alignment guides are angled guide pins disposed on opposing corners of the plate holder.

15. An apparatus comprising: a plate comprising a plurality of sides, a bottom surface, and a top surface; and A gripper is coupled to a robotic arm configured to support the panel from below, wherein the gripper includes a gripper arm and is configured to insert the gripper arm under the panel from opposite lateral directions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plate is a 96-well bioprocessing plate.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plate comprises at least one of a biological sample well, a tip rack, or a test tube holder.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a chassis supporting the robotic arm and a set of modular tools containing the gripper, wherein the robotic arm is configured to remove and replace the gripper from the chassis.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the gripper arms are formed into an "L" shape configured to simultaneously engage opposing sides of the plate and portions of the bottom surface of the plate adjacent the opposing sides of the plate.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the clamp is configured to support the plate with a clamping force equal to or less than approximately 4.1667 kg.

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