Automation in the Biomedical Laboratory

Automation resources are used to ease the tasks of recording, classifying, and summarizing experimental information. Three instrumental architectures are examined. Their advantages and limitations are discussed. Multiprocessor structures are shown to combine the advantages of the others. In software, state graph notation is seen as an example of a systematic solution to laboratory automation. A laboratory applications oriented operating system (LAOS) is defined. Automation resources are viewed as a vertical integration of multiprocessor hardware, associated system software tools, and LAOS as a superstructure. The operating system (OS) provides for synchronization and communication among processes executing on separate processors. A human interface converts simple operator commands and instructions into files composed of OS primitives which can be executed by the system. LAOS also monitors high level synchronization and experimental control of the subordinate processes. "Expert system" techniques are examined as a means of achieving a highly automated computer-based laboratory instrument.