The Sequence Opinion #884: Self-Driving Labs: The Laboratory That Chooses Its Next Experiment
An essay about the rise of autonomous science environments.
TL;DR
- Laboratories share similarities with computers, featuring sensors, actuators, memory, protocols, and data outputs.
- Traditionally, a human scientist serves as the 'operating system,' making decisions, manipulating samples, and interpreting results.
- Self-driving labs incorporate AI with automated hardware to create an autonomous experimental loop.
- This system learns and adapts, influencing subsequent experiments based on previous outcomes, distinguishing it from mere automation.
- The core loop of a self-driving lab involves design, make, test, learn, and redesign.