Robust Automated Discovery (RAD)

** 在某些方面，实验室工作与19世纪的实验室工作台相比几乎没有什么变化;当然，实验室挤满了穿着白色外套的科学家的形象今天仍然存在。对于许多行业来说，COVID-19的出现对研究密集型行业产生了重大影响，我们需要在未来减轻这一影响。2020年，利物浦大学的研究人员开发了一项新技术：一种移动的机器人化学家，能够一天24小时独自工作，使用人工智能决定下一步进行哪些实验（见BBC新闻特写，2020年6月）。基于这项技术，一家新的衍生公司Mobotics成立了。在这个项目中，Mobotics将与约翰逊万丰，英国科学和化学公司，在可持续发展的全球领导者，沿着ABB机器人和过程创新中心合作。通过结合他们在化学，机器人，软件和人工智能方面的技能，这个多学科团队将创建一个弹性解决方案，使公司在未来能够远程操作他们的研究，即使在封锁或社交距离期间。我们还将演示“备份实验室”的概念--也就是说，在另一个地点的镜像机器人设施可以通过互联网安全地控制。这将使企业能够更好地应对未来的中断，不仅与COVID-19或其他疾病有关，而且还包括供应链、基础设施或需求“激增”方面的问题。该计划建立在英国核心优势领域的基础上，我们在这些领域处于国际领先地位，并将这项新技术应用于一系列行业，包括制药、家居和个人护理产品以及清洁能源（例如，新电池材料）。社会效益将包括工作人员更大的灵活性和研究人员在需要时在家工作的能力。从长远来看，这项技术也有可能使研究更具包容性-例如，对于那些可能无法在更传统的实验室环境中工作的残疾人。

**In some respects, laboratory work has changed little from the lab benches of the 1800s; certainly, the image of laboratories packed with scientists in white coats still holds today. As for many industries, the emergence of COVID-19 has had a major effect on research-intensive industries, and we need to mitigate for this in the future. In 2020, researchers at the University of Liverpool developed a new technology: a mobile robotic chemist that is able to work by itself, 24 hours a day, making decisions about which experiments to do next using artificial intelligence (see BBC News feature, June 2020). Based on this technology, a new spin-out company, Mobotics, was formed. In this project, Mobotics will partner with Johnson Matthey, a UK science and chemicals company, and global leader in sustainability, along with ABB Robotics and the Centre for Process Innovation. By combining their skills in chemistry, robotics, software, and artificial intelligence, this multidisciplinary team will create a resilient solution that will allow companies in the future to operate their research remotely, even in periods of lockdown or social distancing. We will also demonstrate the concept of a "backup lab" -- that is, a mirrored robotic facility in another site that can be controlled securely over the internet. This will allow companies to be more resilient to disruption in the future, not only related to COVID-19 or other diseases, but also in terms of problems with supply chain, infrastructure, or 'spikes' in demand. This programme builds on areas of core UK strength where we hold an international lead and will catapult this new technology into a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, home and personal care products, and clean energy (e.g., new battery materials). Societal benefits will include greater flexibility for staff and the ability of researchers to work from home where needed. Longer term, this technology also has the potential to make research more inclusive -- for example, for people with disabilities who might not be able to work within a more conventional laboratory environment.**