Architecture for a Combined Mobile Robot and Human Operator Transportation Solution for the Hierarchical Life Science Automation

S. Neubert, T. Roddelkopf, X. Gu, B. Göde, S. Junginger, N. Stoll, K. Thurow

2017

Abstract

Modern laboratories for life sciences often include several different integrated automation systems to increase throughput and quality, to reduce efforts for human operators and to reduce the costs of processes. Typically, the planning and monitoring of methods are prepared and executed directly on local computers of the automation systems. Moreover, a manual replenishing of resources and a manual transfer of samples and labware between interacting automation systems are required in order to ensure end-to-end operations in a 24/7 mode. This work describes the architecture and the pilot solution of a hierarchical workflow management system (HWMS), which integrates distributed automation systems by combined use of mobile robots and human operators as transportation units. With a graphical process design tool a material flow-oriented diagram can be created, which describes the correlations of distributed subsystems in a complex workflow. The HWMS schedules the workflows and controls the execution autonomously dependent on the planned process diagrams. Two front-end components located on the process control layer simplify the integration and support the control of the required subsystems. With smart device communications human operators can be integrated in the workflow for transportation and assistance tasks as a necessary alternative to the robots.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Neubert S., Roddelkopf T., Gu X., Göde B., Junginger S., Stoll N. and Thurow K. (2017). Architecture for a Combined Mobile Robot and Human Operator Transportation Solution for the Hierarchical Life Science Automation . In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics - Volume 2: ICINCO, ISBN 978-989-758-264-6, pages 41-49. DOI: 10.5220/0006423600410049

in Bibtex Style

@conference{icinco17,
author={S. Neubert and T. Roddelkopf and X. Gu and B. Göde and S. Junginger and N. Stoll and K. Thurow},
title={Architecture for a Combined Mobile Robot and Human Operator Transportation Solution for the Hierarchical Life Science Automation},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics - Volume 2: ICINCO,},
year={2017},
pages={41-49},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0006423600410049},
isbn={978-989-758-264-6},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics - Volume 2: ICINCO,
TI - Architecture for a Combined Mobile Robot and Human Operator Transportation Solution for the Hierarchical Life Science Automation
SN - 978-989-758-264-6
AU - Neubert S.
AU - Roddelkopf T.
AU - Gu X.
AU - Göde B.
AU - Junginger S.
AU - Stoll N.
AU - Thurow K.
PY - 2017
SP - 41
EP - 49
DO - 10.5220/0006423600410049