The Physics of Life Excellence Cluster of TU Dresden Boosts Productivity with AI-driven Automation
Physics of Life (PoL), the Excellence Cluster at TU Dresden, teamed up with Wandelbots and the Max Planck Institute (MPI) to automate repetitive pipetting tasks, enabling their researchers to dedicate more time to their important research. Using a web-based application on Wandelbots NOVA, researchers at PoL with limited knowledge of robotics can effectively instruct a robot to perform tasks previously done manually.
Project Highlights
About POL
Technical University of Dresden in collaboration with PoL - Physics of Life excellence cluster.
Objective
Explore robot automation to remove repetitive tasks and increase quality.
Solution
Web-based application utilizing ChatGPT 4.0 to execute robot tasks.
Impact
4x increase in process efficiency of handling liquid samples in diverse test sequences.
Challenges & Process
PoL had experienced productivity delays due to a slow, manual pipetting process, which could only be performed by their researchers. Although previous attempts to automate this task have been made, PoL needs a more advanced solution to efficiently streamline this repetitive and labor-intensive work. Since the group's focus is not on robotics, a solution that is powerful yet user-friendly is essential.
The Wandelbots NOVA platform addresses these challenges, effectively turning a UR5e robot into a “human-trained lab companion.” Initially, the hardware was set up in NVIDIA Omniverse to verify the technical feasibility of the included components. A large language model (ChatGPT 4.0) was integrated through a dedicated service and API layer, connecting all essential NOVA components and enabling multimodal interactions.
The result was “PipetBot,” a robot application that provides comprehensive control over hardware components, including the pipette tool, camera, and robotic arm, all accessible through a web browser. With the PipetBot app, researchers at PoL can issue written or voice commands to the UR5e, specifying which pipette to use. Meanwhile, NOVA manages intelligent path creation and programming. This creates a user-friendly automation solution that streamlines the pipetting process, allowing PoL to dedicate more time to their essential research tasks.
I was impressed with the with your [Wandelbots] 3-tiered approach to first build this in a virtual environment in the Omniverse setting, which [...] really allows us to place this robot flexibly in different workflows inside the lab.
Prof. Dr. Stephan Grill
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Impact & results
By simplifying workflows and ensuring quality, PoL achieved a 400% increase in operational efficiency. This improvement allows scientists to dedicate more time to their core tasks rather than routine processes, making day-to-day operations smoother. Additionally, the new setup provides them with the flexibility to adapt more easily to changes in future testing requirements, supporting PoL’s evolving needs.