Laboratory Robot Understands Natural Language

An assistant laboratory robot has a laser-aided navigation system that it uses to orient itself in familiar spaces and independently pass through doorways. It moves and navigates itself around obstacles and people. The robot will take over much of the burdensome and boring work from laboratory personnel.

Called LISA--short for life science assistant--the system is safe and cost-effective. In roughly one year, a prototype of LISA will be rolling through labs and assisting laboratory personnel by loading incubators, measuring equipment with sample trays, and accurately moving from one lab instrument to the next.

LISA is equipped with a sensing gripper arm designed to hold plastic dishes. Its "artificial skin” consists of conductive foam and textiles, and intelligent signal processing electronics. This skin immediately senses and cushions inadvertent jostling. A thermographic camera registers body heat and indicates if a human colleague's hand, for example, is in the way.

LISA uses language to communicate, and because to its large vocabulary, understands entire sentences such as, "Get me dish A4 from incubator 8.” If something is unclear, it will ask for an explanation. In addition, simple work commands can be entered through a touchscreen. LISA will be able to learn new actions easily. This is particularly important for life-science laboratories where new types of measuring stations are frequently installed or varied work steps are required.

The developer of LISA is the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF (Magdeburg, Germany). The German Institutions for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention and TÜV (Germany) will approve it for everyday use as soon as their safety requirements are fulfilled.


Related Links:
Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF
TÜV