A new mobile robot scientist developed by the University of Liverpool can carry out experiments by itself. It works 24/7 and can make decisions about which chemistry experiments to perform.

As of July 8, 2020, when the press release from the University was published, the robot scientist has already discovered a new catalyst. and learns to modify experiments based on past failures.

Professor Andrew Cooper from the University’s Department of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, and leader of the program said, “our strategy here was to automate the researcher, rather than the instruments. This creates a level of flexibility that will change both the way we work and the problems we can tackle.”

A “robot’s eye view” of the experiments conducted by the robot scientist is available for viewing at the University.

Editor’s Note: We all know that technology replaces a skill that humans have. With the creation of a robot scientist, what natural skill of the human researcher will be outsourced to the machine? Or will human research teams become obsolete when the technology becomes so advance at what it was designed to do?

Take note that despite the video of the robot’s experiments, the “robot’s eye view” does not explain the logic behind the robot’s decision making [see Ridiculously Complicated Algorithms and the Increasing Obscurity in Society to understand the issue].

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