Aquarium: open-source laboratory software for design, execution and data management

Abstract

Automation has been shown to improve the replicability and scalability of biomedical and bioindustrial research. Although the work performed in many labs is repetitive and can be standardized, few academic labs can afford the time and money required to automate their workflows with robotics. We propose that human-in-the-loop automation can fill this critical gap. To this end, we present Aquarium, an open-source, web-based software application that integrates experimental design, inventory management, protocol execution and data capture. We provide a high-level view of how researchers can install Aquarium and use it in their own labs. We discuss the impacts of the Aquarium on working practices, use in biofoundries and opportunities it affords for collaboration and education in life science laboratory research and manufacture.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2021
Source ID
10.1093/synbio/ysab006

Entities

People

  • Abraham Miller
  • Ayesha Saleem
  • Benjamin J. Keller
  • Cameron Cordray
  • Devin Strickland
  • Eriberto Lopez
  • Eric Klavins
  • Garrett Newman
  • Justin D. Vrana
  • Michelle Parks
  • Orlando de Lange
  • Samer Halabiya
  • Sarah Goldberg
  • Yaoyu Yang

Organizations

  • Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • University of Washington

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
  • Military Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - Human-Robot Interaction
  • Biotechnology