FULLY ADAPTIVE AND AUTONOMOUS DRONE FOR LABORATORY AUTOMATION PROJECTS

Contractor will design and build a fully automated self contained drone platform to enable repetitive tasks in alaboratory environment specifically High throughput Screening HTS by robotic loading and unloading ofmicroplates in a bio research laboratory Such a platform has the potential to be far more attractive than traditionalrobots in the realm of indoor logistics because they can be adapted to be infinitely configurable with respect towaypoints can transport material over long distances and unlike traditional robots do not adversely impact the realestate envelope of the laboratory or require rearrangement of equipment in a laboratory Contractor will usecommercially available components to a large extent and combine them with innovative mechanics sensor softwareand actuation solutions The resulting platform will allow fully autonomous operation with minimal operator interventionrequirements and yet provide high accuracy in material movement low failure rates easy to use software driveninterfaces and a high degree of safety to allow the drones to operate within the bio laboratory in the presences ofhumans and other bstacles The drone platform will largely eliminate the need for labor intensive repetitive logisticsoperations and also provide attractive productivity enhancements within the bio laboratory sector