Digital support for lab technicians
Laboratory workstations, whose liquid-handling robots automate complex workflows, still rely on the manual setup of labware. The inaccurate configuration of trays, tubes, and plates can result in ruined tests, broken kits, costly delays, and lost patient samples. Tecan set its sights on a digital solution for detecting mistakes with exceptional accuracy for any given workflow. CSEM was asked to develop a vision system powered by a deep learning algorithm for integration into Tecan's lab automation platform.
CSEM developed a completely new neuronal image comparison approach that can deal with vast variations in labware and decipher changes in illumination, reflections, and shadows. The DeckCheck system acquires and analyses images, flagging up discrepancies in labware objects and positions that it has compared to a reference image in under 1.5 seconds with 95% reliability, reducing risks and operators' workloads. The platform has been launched and its algorithm will also be valuable in other domains, such as quality control, security, and surveillance.