Transforming Chemistry Lab Automation With Intelligent Robotic Scientists

The urgent need for new materials to address global challenges demands a revolutionary shift in autonomous scientific discovery. Deploying intelligent robotic systems in human labs is key to achieve this; yet, there remains an open gap in having robots carry out laboratory tasks beyond pre-programmed instructions. The full potential of 'robot scientists' has not yet been realised in automating a wide range of different experiments that would allow human scientists to pursue high-level innovation. I will detail our ongoing work developing and deploying intelligent robotic systems in Chemistry labs, showcasing their capabilities and the transformative impact they can have on materials discovery. Finally, I will share insights into the challenges and lessons learned from this multidisciplinary endeavour.