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Case 02 / 03Biotech · Lab automation2022

Automation without losing the bench.

Human-in-the-loop controls so operators can intervene the moment the science drifts — without ripping out the automation already in place.

Robotic synthesis runs were technically correct but opaque — operators could not intervene when the chemistry drifted. We designed human-in-the-loop controls and exception surfaces on top of the existing automation, without stripping agency from the bench.

Discuss a similar problem
Services
  • Product strategy
  • Automation UX
  • Systems design
Industries
  • Biotech
  • Lab automation
  • Chemical synthesis
Challenge
Keep robotic synthesis reliable while giving operators a real way to intervene when the science drifts — without replacing the automation stack.
What we did
  1. 01Audited where silent failures hid inside otherwise “correct” robotic runs.
  2. 02Designed human-in-the-loop controls and exception surfaces on the existing automation.
  3. 03Kept bench operators inside the decision loop instead of automating their judgement away.
  4. 04Made recoverable drift visible early enough to act on.
Outcome
Fewer silent failures. Operators recovered runs that previously became scrap.

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