INTRODUCTIONA Definition of Laboratory AutomationShort History of Laboratory AutomationPotential of Laboratory AutomationLife Science Applications and Requirements (short review on life science applications and requirements automation life science processes)The LUO Concept in Laboratory Automation (definition of LUO concept, based on that description of main device classes required in laboratory automation)ReferencesFORMATS IN LABORATORY AUTOMATIONMicrotiter platesSample formats in analytical application,Sample formats in medical applicationsReferencesLIQUID DELIVERYHistoric Development of Liquid HandlingUse of Liquid Handling SystemsLiquid Handler Drive TypesSingle Channel SystemsMultichannel SystemsGeneral Rules in Liquid HandlingCritical Liquid Handling ParametersLiquid Handling Performance MonitoringOverview on Commercially Available Liquid Handling SystemsReferencesLOW VOLUME DELIVERYDefinition of Low VolumeApplication Areas of Low Volume DispensingLow Volume Dispensing TechnologiesOverview on Commercially Available Low Volume DispensersReferencesSOLID DELIVERYIntroductionSolid Delivery TechnologiesOverview on Commercially Available Solid Delivery SystemsReferencesDEVICES FOR SAMPLE PREPARATIONAutomated Heating, Cooling and MixingAutomated CentrifugesAutomated Pouring and FiltrationAutomated Solid Phase ExtractionReferencesROBOTS IN LABORATORY AUTOMATIONClassical Industrial RobotsCobotsApplication ExamplesReferencesMOBILE ROBOTS IN LABORATORY AUTOMATIONCharacteristics and Concepts of Mobile Robots (including definition)Sensors and Actuators for Mobile RobotsCommercially available Mobile RobotsApplication of Mobile Robots in IndustrySpecial Requirements for using Mobile Robots in Life Science LaboratoriesReferencesCAMERA BASED OBJECT DETECTION AND MANIPULATIONOverview on Available CamerasState of the Art in Camera Based Object DetectionReferencesANALYTICAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEMSReader SystemsClassical Analytical SystemsReferencesINTERFACES IN LABORATORY AUTOMATIONIntroductionAnalog InterfacesDigital InterfacesNetwork InterfacesStandardization in Laboratory Automation (SILA)ReferencesSAMPLE IDENTIFICATION IN LABORATORY AUTOMATIONBarcode TechnologiesRFID TechnologiesAdvanced TechnologiesReferences
Kerstin Thurow is the Director of the Center for Life Science Automation at the University Rostock, Germany. She obtained her Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and the habilitation in measurement and control in 1999 from the University of Rostock. In 1999 she was appointed a professorship for Life Science Automation. Since that time her scientific work is dedicated to the automation of life science processes. Professor Thurow has authored more than 240 scientific publications. She is also a founding member of the academy of sciences Hamburg and member of the technical academy Germany (acatech).Steffen Junginger is currently working as a senior scientist at the Institute of Automation, University of Rostock. For many years he is the head of the research group "Integrated Systems". Dr. Junginger obtained his Ph.D. in life science automation from the University Rostock in 2011. He has many years of experience in laboratory automation. His main research interests include smart system integration, next generation robotics and autonomous mobile robotics. Dr. Junginger published more than 40 scientific publications (h-index 8 in Scopus).