Cell Handling Work Instructions for Mobile and Workbench Robots
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to automate the handling of cells in biochemistry, biology, and biotechnology experiments, particularly in situations where cells are stored or cultured in incubators and require subsequent handling on a workbench.
Innovation Solution
A work instruction device that controls a robot system with mobile and workbench manipulators to automate the retrieval and processing of cells, including transport and storage instructions based on experiment definition data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a robot system is introduced to automate cell handling, then productivity and automation extent are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system is divided into two distinct manipulators: a mobile manipulator for transporting cells between storage locations and workbench, and a workbench manipulator for performing experiment manipulations. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile manipulator acts as an intermediary between the storage location (incubator) and the workbench, handling the transport of cells. This intermediary role separates the storage/retrieval functions from the experiment manipulation functions, allowing independent optimization of each subsystem
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple manipulators are used for different locations, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile manipulator is equipped with mobile wheels that allow it to dynamically move between different locations (storage location and workbench). This dynamic mobility enables the system to adapt to different experimental configurations and locations without requiring fixed installations throughout the workspace
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile manipulator serves multiple functions: it transports cells from storage to workbench, positions containers for experiments, and can potentially service multiple different storage locations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each location, simplifying the overall device architecture
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A robot system (100) including mobile manipulators (10) each including a local controller (11), workbench robots (20) each including a local controller (21), an integration controller (30), and a work instruction device (40) that performs a work instruction to execute an experiment on cells. The work instruction device (40) accesses experiment definition data including preparation transport information and workbench experiment specifying information, and creates a preparation transport instruction to take cells that are a target of the experiment out from a first storage location and transport them to a workbench based on the preparation transport information, and a workbench experiment instruction for executing the experiment on the transported cells based on the workbench experiment specifying information.