Adam – The Robot Scientist Designing It’s own Experiments

Not too long ago I wrote about Eve and now we have Adam. Eve is not finished yet, but she will be even more capable than Adam it states. BD

Unlike other pieces of lab equipment, a robotic system created by scientists from Aberystwyth University and the University of Cambridge can design and perform new experiments on its own.

In a study called "The Automation of Science," published in the latest issue of Science, the researchers asked Adam to find out which genes code for several enzymes of unknown origin ("orphan enzymes") in baker's yeast. Drawing on a database of yeast and other biological information, Adam came up with 20 hypotheses and designed several experiments to methodically test mutant strains against normal ones. The robot successfully identified--for the first time--the origins of several enzymes.

In the video, Adam carries out experiments to identify orphan enzymes in baker's yeast. First, it takes out a yeast library plate from the freezer. Then, it stab-picks the strain it wants and inoculates a plate. Adam carries the plate to an incubator and lets the yeast grow for 24 hours. Finally, Adam shakes and reads the sample, getting growth measurements for three days.