Work

The rise of robotics in self-driving labs

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Self-driving laboratories (SDLs) combine robotics with algorithmic decision-making to autonomously design, execute, and analyze experiments, and deftly explore the large, high-dimensional parameter spaces that confound conventional experimental approaches. This Perspective examines autonomous robotics’ roles in SDLs, challenges currently limiting generalizability and scalability, and emerging innovations in robotics could address them, thereby highlighting how the integration of advanced robotics could enable far more rapid, reproducible, and accessible experimentation across disciplines.

Source: npj Robotics

DOI: 10.1038/s44182-026-00094-z

Authors: Christopher H. J. Moran, Jinge Xu, Milad Abolhasani

Institution: North Carolina State University

Language: English

Topic: Robotics and Automated Systems

Subfield: Control and Systems Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,990