Robotic safety in self-driving laboratories.

Abstract

The emergence of autonomous laboratories is accelerating discovery in chemistry, drug discovery, materials science, and related fields by enabling high-throughput, data-driven experimentation. However, the integration of heterogeneous robotic systems, ranging from fixed manipulators to mobile platforms, introduces safety challenges that are not systematically addressed in newly established laboratories. In this context, this work aims to raise awareness of robotic safety among chemists and biologists leading laboratory automation projects who may have limited access to industrial robotics expertise. To support a preliminary evaluation of existing or newly developed automated laboratory systems, we explain and demonstrate the use of a simple, structured safety assessment methodology based on ISO standards and tailored to laboratory environments. The framework combines established robotics safety standards with laboratory-specific considerations, including chemical hazards, human-robot interaction, and dynamic workflows. To facilitate its adoption by scientists, the methodology is illustrated through a case study conducted at the Swiss CAT+ West Hub autonomous laboratory, focusing on a multi-instrument analytical platform integrating collaborative robotic arms and mobile robotic systems. The proposed framework follows a six-step iterative process encompassing system definition, hazard identification, risk estimation, risk reduction, and validation. Its applicability was evaluated through the case study, in which sixteen hazards were identified, with robot-human collisions and chemical exposure representing the most critical risks. Experimental force and pressure measurements further demonstrated that widely used collaborative robots may exceed accepted safety thresholds under realistic operating conditions, particularly as a consequence of end-effector design and task-dependent motion characteristics. Risk mitigation strategies based on dynamic safety zoning, sensor-based human detection, and operational mode control were implemented to ensure compliance with safety requirements. The results highlight the need for systematic, context-specific safety assessments in autonomous laboratories and demonstrate that collaborative robots are not inherently safe without rigorous validation. This work provides a practical framework for the safe deployment of robotic systems in autonomous and digital laboratory environments.