Laboratory automation: changing the role of the technical professional

Abstract

During the last two decades, robots have gone from exotic to commonplace in the manufacturing industries. As companies strive to gain competitive advantage, mechanization of repetitive tasks has been a primary means of increasing productivity and reducing cost. The impact of robotization is now affecting the world economy [1]. While not the first to develop robotics, Japan has successfully applied the technology to compensate for labour shortages, to increase productivity, and to develop quality products through standardization [2]. The Japanese productivity gains have, to a large extent, been realized through the substitution of capital equipment for human labour [3]. As robotics spread through the manufacturing sector, there has been heated debate concerning the impact of