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The Institute for Laboratory Automation, a non-profit organization, has taken on the work begun by Delphinus, Inc. [Groton Ma]. The scope of the effort in developing the field of Laboratory Automation Engineering will require the support and involvment of a number of groups and that work will be better performed through a non-profit organization than a for-profit company. The Institutes' work includeds the development of additional courses, and technology conferences, among other industry activities. We plan to explore technologies that will be of value to those working in lab automation and provide a forum for discussion, and evaluation by vendors, potential users, and regulators.
The technologies available for those working in the field have considerable potential but will require resourses and effort to implement. Our intent is to provide a means of understanding those technologies, evaluate their impact and benefits, and improve users ability to deal with technology change in a field undergoing rapid technological, business, and regulatory changes.
The distinction between our work and that of other groups, is that all of it will be viewed through the lens of Laboratory Automation Engineering and technology management.
Laboratory Technology Planning, Management & Integration
Automation and computing technologies have become ingrained in laboratory work; without them, the productivity of labs would drop dramatically. Successful laboratory programs depend upon management, as well as implementers.
As laboratories changed from completely manual operations to the inclusion of some forms of automation, to the introduction of electronic instruments / automated systems, to computer-based data systems and robotics connected to communications networks, there has been a corresponding increase in the technical competence required of those designing & implementing systems. The need for improvements in organization efficiency and effectiveness, coupled with the need to meet regulatory requirements, have brought labs into corporate networks; areas from which they had previously been separated (integrating laboratory information with ERP systems for example). Organizational & technology management are areas where management can have a significant impact.
These factors has increased the need for technically sophisticated people that can understand laboratory operations, manage the technology, and work effectively with IT departments to provide the level of automation / computing / information / robotics technology required to support research & development, quality control, and other laboratory-based efforts. Our purpose is to prepare managers, scientists, and engineers to meet this need.
One aspect of our work is the development of new Laboratory Automation Engineering methodology:
Laboratory Automation Engineering occurs on two levels:
- Level 1 - Management:
- The development of policies, practices, and operational/workflow models that guide long-term development, integration, and technology management.
- Level 2 - Design, Development & Implementation:
- The application of engineering principles to the use of instrumentation, computing and information system technologies (informatics), and robotics to address laboratory problems.
The benefits of our work include:
- Lowering the cost of operations
- Providing more effective and efficient operations
- Defining a laboratory automation / computing architecture that meets their current operational and business needs and provides a basis for long term development
- Designing implementation plans that show them how to get from where they are to where they want to be
- Developing a planning document that guides purchases, upgrades, revisions, etc., leading to a seamlessly integrated laboratory architecture and systems
- Protecting / enhancing the value of the labs intellectual property (knowledge, information, and data)
- Making the most effective use of people’s talents, and
- Enabling the lab to work more effectively with other departments and organizations (IT, manufacturing, clients, etc.)
The Institute for Laboratory Automation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization located in Groton, MA.
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