Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!uunet!shelby!neon!news
From: zvona@dec-lite.stanford.edu (David Chapman)
Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts
Subject: experience with or interest in lab robots (pipetting, etc.)
Message-ID: <1991Feb22.213052.19603@Neon.Stanford.EDU>
Date: 22 Feb 91 21:30:52 GMT
Sender: news@Neon.Stanford.EDU (USENET News System)
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University
Lines: 34

I'm looking for information on programmable liquid handling robots such
as the Tecan, Beckman's Biomek, the COBAS, and so forth.  (These things
purportedly can automate many different standard protocols involving
mostly pipetting, though some have centrifuges and other gadgets in them
too.)  

I'd like to hear from people who have or have used such machines what
their experience has been, and also, from people who may have considered
buying such machines, why they decided not to (and, from labs who do a
lot of pipetting but have not considered buying such machines, why they
haven't).

More specifically, 

If you have or use such machines:

  -- which model(s)?
  -- how reliable and accurate have they been?
  -- what do you use them for, and how versatile are they really?
  -- how much do they get used?  (Do they mostly collect dust?)
  -- would you recommend them?  (Are you glad you bought them or have
     access to them?) 

If you have thought about buying such machines and didn't, I'd also like
to hear about why not (too expensive? not versatile enough? not
convinced about reliability? ...?).

If there's sufficient interest in this question, I'll summarize the
results back to the group.
--
David Chapman
Teleos Research
576 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA 94301


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