This paper provides an in-depth description of the current applications of robotics in clinical laboratories. The trends and impact of the use of robotics in clinical chemistry in the forseeable future are also discussed.

Glostrup/Copehagen, Denmark. segmented flow system started with the auto-analysers of Skeggs [2], that were made commercially available at the end of the 1950s. This process has continued through many phases with the most recent advances being in the area of robotics [3]. Mechanization figure) and the open or stand-alone system (total figure). Metarules are part of the procedural knowledge of expert systems. They are used to evoke programs and to guide the inference process and thus define how to use the rules in the system. They are basic blocks of (usually) IF_THEN rules for exhaustive mapping.The inference engine may make use of one or a number of these problem-solving mechanisms. Problems with expert systemsSince the expert system is built using knowledge from the expert, it may perform more or less like an expert.However, as an expert system does not get tired, it will give more consistent results than its human counterparts. A good expert system may even give better results than human experts performing at their best.

Glostrup/Copehagen, Denmark. segmented flow system started with the auto-analysers of Skeggs [2], that were made commercially available at the end of the 1950s. This process has continued through many phases with the most recent advances being in the area of robotics [3]. Mechanization figure) and the open or stand-alone system (total figure). Metarules are part of the procedural knowledge of expert systems. They are used to evoke programs and to guide the inference process and thus define how to use the rules in the system. They are basic blocks of (usually) IF_THEN rules for exhaustive mapping.The inference engine may make use of one or a number of these problem-solving mechanisms. Problems with expert systemsSince the expert system is built using knowledge from the expert, it may perform more or less like an expert.However, as an expert system does not get tired, it will give more consistent results than its human counterparts. A good expert system may even give better results than human experts performing at their best.

Biosafety is an important part of the know-how of all clinical laboratory professionals. Biosafely must have high priority in the design and use of analytical systems. Attention should be focused on reducing the handling of biological specimens, reducing biohazards to laboratory personnel, and on improving the labelling and containment of biohazardous materials. In this paper, biosafety issues are discussed in relation to the design of analytical systems, their use and maintenance.

No abstract