What comes to your mind when you hear the word “technology”? Some of us think of modern tools that help businesses achieve better productivity and profitability. Others, meanwhile, think of goods and services that provide consumers with convenience and entertainment. However, technology isn’t used only in these areas—it also plays a huge role in scientific research. Specifically, it’s used in streamlining laboratory processes and helping researchers save time and effort.
Why Laboratories Should Always Prioritize Efficiency
On the surface, it might seem that laboratories are primarily focused on producing quality results at the expense of everything else. In reality, though, most researchers put a lot of emphasis on efficiency since it has a huge impact on their project outcomes. By implementing more efficient lab practices, they get to:
Produce accurate results within the ideal time frame
When researchers have streamlined and efficient processes, they can complete their projects on time without compromising quality and integrity along the way. This is greatly helpful, especially in situations where they’re running after a tight deadline but they still have to produce accurate and reliable results.
Minimize wastage
Mistakes in laboratories often occur on a large scale, which results in significant wastage of expensive reagents and other materials as well as the breakage of costly tools and equipment. Laboratory errors also mean that researchers would have to spend more time correcting their procedures and less time actually making progress on their project; in worst-case scenarios, they may have to scrap their entire project and get back to square one. Fortunately, when efficiency is prioritized, researchers can minimize and even eliminate the risk of blunders.
Preserve their integrity
As mentioned above, implementing efficient processes allows laboratories to finish projects quickly and produce fast results—while promoting precision and accuracy and minimizing errors. This helps them uphold the integrity of their research and demonstrate that their laboratory always produces credible work. Ultimately, this will help them acquire the trust of the scientific community, which will be greatly helpful when they’re applying for grants and publishing their works in respected journals.
Mastering Laboratory Efficiency Through Modern Technology
There are hundreds of ways to improve efficiency in laboratories. Some examples include strategically planning each project before it begins and establishing strong quality control measures. Researchers should also provide extensive training to all staff members and conduct proper data and inventory management.
Another helpful step is integrating modern technology into existing laboratory procedures to make them better and more efficient. Researchers won’t have to worry since they’re spoilt for choice when it comes to modern innovations; the only thing they must do is to choose which piece of technology will work well with the projects they’re handling. Nowadays, two of the innovations that stand out the most are 5G wireless connectivity and liquid handling robot systems.
Outsourcing Your Liquid Handling Needs to Automated Devices
Many people associate robotic systems with modern manufacturing processes using automated machinery that barely need any human guidance. Others, meanwhile, associate robots with entertainment, such as the popular Transformers film franchise and the robotic dogs that behave like real pets. However, these aren’t the only areas where robot systems can be applied since they’re also highly useful in scientific research.
Liquid handling robots are an excellent investment for laboratories that are working on any project that deals with any type of liquid. These include pharmaceutical product development (in which researchers have to check how the drug interacts with different chemicals) as well as pathogen testing (in which scientists have to determine the antibiotic resistance and susceptibility of specific bacteria). With their automatic pipettes, advanced algorithms, integrated cameras, and other exceptional features, liquid handling robots complete each task with accuracy and precision and help researchers be more confident in their project results. Since the system will handle all tedious tasks, researchers can save precious time and focus on more important jobs.
Speeding Up Connectivity Through 5G Wireless Technology
Having fast and reliable Internet access is important in every laboratory since it allows them to submit and track results in real-time and make changes to their processes in just a few clicks. It also lets them connect with team members and third-party collaborators whenever they need to regardless of their location. This is where 5G connectivity comes in: with its greater capacity and lower latency (compared to older technologies), it helps researchers speed up their processes and have more efficient workflows.
Another huge benefit of 5G connectivity: it allows users to create an individual network for every requirement without slowing down the speed of each optimized network. This ability to do network slicing is greatly useful in laboratories that require each project to have its own network to promote better security and ensure fast and accurate results.
Make Lab Efficiency a Priority Starting Today
By putting efficiency at the forefront, laboratories can save time and other resources while producing high-quality results. Fortunately, promoting laboratory efficiency is easy when researchers harness the power of technology
