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Robots run this laboratory in Japan — and are changing how scientists work

Researchers hope to build a facility with thousands of robots capable of performing experiments independently by 2040.
By
  1. Rachel Fieldhouse

    1. Rachel Fieldhouse is a reporter for Nature in Sydney, Australia.

In a biology laboratory in Tokyo, ten robots conduct experiments, using their two arms to handle liquids, grow cells on plates and operate scientific instruments, among other basic tasks.

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Nature 654, 14-15 (2026)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01625-2

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