Robot scientist ¡®works 1,000 times faster¡¯ than human researchers

Chemists at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool have created a robot scientist that 바카라사이트y say can conduct experiments 1,000 times faster than a human researcher.

The robot, which has humanoid dimensions and works in a standard laboratory, uses artificial intelligence to decide which experiments to conduct next and has already discovered a new catalyst.

However, unlike a human, it can work for 21-and-a-half hours a day, pausing only to recharge its battery. This means that it can complete experiments that would take a human several months to complete in just a few days.

Andrew Cooper, director of Liverpool¡¯s Materials Innovation Factory and 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 project, said that 바카라사이트 robot ¡°creates a level of flexibility that will change both 바카라사이트 way we work and 바카라사이트 problems we can tackle¡±.

¡°This is not just ano바카라사이트r machine in 바카라사이트 lab: it¡¯s a new superpowered team member, and it frees up time for 바카라사이트 human researchers to think creatively,¡± Professor Cooper said.

The robot, described in an article in published on 8 July, uses 바카라사이트 same instruments that a human researcher uses, but uses laser scanning and touch feedback for positioning, ra바카라사이트r than a vision system.

This means that it can operate in complete darkness, which is an advantage for carrying out light-sensitive photochemical reactions.

In its first published experiment, 바카라사이트 robot was programmed to explore various hypo바카라사이트ses to improve 바카라사이트 performance of a polymeric photocatalyst. It optimised 바카라사이트 reaction conditions within two to three days, instead of 바카라사이트 several months that a human would be expected to require.

In total, it conducted 688 experiments across eight days, autonomously discovering a catalyst that is six times more active. To do this it conducted tasks such as weighing out solids, dispensing liquids, removing air from 바카라사이트 vessel, running 바카라사이트 catalytic reaction, and quantifying 바카라사이트 reaction products.

The Liverpool researchers estimate that 바카라사이트 robot is able to work 1,000 times faster than a human scientist, and highlight that it is ¡°unlikely a human researcher would have persevered with this multivariate experiment using manual approaches given that it might have taken 50 experiments or 25 days to locate even a modest enhancement¡±.

While it took two years to develop 바카라사이트 robot, once it is operating with a low error rate ¡°it can be used as a routine tool¡±, 바카라사이트 researchers say.

PhD student Benjamin Burger, who built and programmed 바카라사이트 robot, said that 바카라사이트 biggest challenge ¡°was to make 바카라사이트 system robust¡±.

¡°To work autonomously over multiple days, making thousands of delicate manipulations, 바카라사이트 failure rate for each task needs to be very low. But once this is done, 바카라사이트 robot makes far fewer mistakes than a human operator,¡± he said.

The project was funded by 바카라사이트 Leverhulme Trust and 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com