PyLabRobot: An Open-Source, Hardware Agnostic Interface for Liquid-Handling Robots and Accessories

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

Abstract Liquid handling robots are often limited by proprietary programming interfaces that are only compatible with a single type of robot and operating system, restricting method sharing and slowing development. Here we present PyLabRobot, an open-source, cross-platform Python interface capable of programming diverse liquid-handling robots, including Hamilton STARs, Tecan EVOs, and Opentron OT-2s. PyLabRobot provides a universal set of commands and representations for deck layout and labware, enabling the control of diverse accessory devices. The interface is extensible and can work with any robot that manipulates liquids within a Cartesian coordinate system. We validated the system through unit tests and several application demonstrations, including a browser-based simulator, a position calibration tool, and a path-teaching tool for complex movements. PyLabRobot provides a flexible, open, and collaborative programming environment for laboratory automation. Figure Abstract PyLabRobot overcomes the limitations of proprietary robotic systems. (a) Scientists with access to liquid-handling robots are currently limited by proprietary interfaces that require specialized knowledge, hinder cross-platform operability, and restrict sharing of methods among different robot types. For complex tasks, many researchers need assistance from a specialist familiar with their particular system, most notably when creating or editing protocols. (b) PyLabRobot ( https://github.com/PyLabRobot/pylabrobot ) offers a single interface that allows any person with basic Python skills to program diverse types of liquid-handling robots and share protocols freely, fostering a more collaborative and efficient research environment. The Python API makes it easy to interact with a large scientific computing ecosystem and allows users to leverage large language models for programming assistance.

Authors 5

1. Rick P. Wierenga Aachen

   Leiden University · MIT Media Lab · Massachusetts Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands

   Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

2. Stefan M. Golas

   MIT Media Lab · Massachusetts Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

3. Wilson Ho

   MIT Media Lab · Massachusetts Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

   Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

4. Connor W. Coley

   Massachusetts Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

5. Kevin M. Esvelt corresponding

   MIT Media Lab · Massachusetts Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA