SIG

Special Interest Group (SIG) provides a platform for discussion and R&D on specific themes related to laboratory automation.

While our main events, such as the Laboratory Automation Monthly Study Group (#LA_Study) and the Laboratory Automation Developers Conference (LADEC), aim to cover a broad range of topics, focus groups are established when a substantial number of members express a desire to delve deeper into a specific theme.

Currently, we have established the following focus groups:

AI Group

Organizer: Ryota Yamada (Science Aid Inc.)

The AI Group aims to advance the use of AI in laboratory automation. As general-purpose AI advances rapidly, rather than building solutions ourselves, the group focuses on defining what laboratory automation should achieve and how to evaluate it, and on opening the search for solutions to the wider community. The group also seeks to provide AI researchers and engineers with an entry point into laboratory automation and to encourage their collaboration with researchers in experimental science.

As a concrete activity, the group is building LA-Bench (Laboratory Automation Benchmark), a suite of benchmarks for laboratory automation. In 2025, the group held the first competition, LA-Bench 2025, in which 57 teams registered for a task of generating detailed experimental protocols from instructions describing the purpose and conditions of an experiment. The dataset, including reference answers and scoring criteria, is publicly available.

For more details on LA-Bench, please visit its website (in Japanese).

Maholo Group

Organizer: Akari Kato (Institute of Science Tokyo)

The Maholo Group serves as a platform for users and developers of the Maholo LabDroid to exchange information and discuss ways to optimize its utilization. The group holds in-person meetings once or twice a year to facilitate deeper discussions and collaboration.

Small-Start Automation Group

Organizer: Atsushi Shibai (RIKEN)

The Small-Start Automation Group aims to support practical, small-scale first steps in laboratory automation. With an emphasis on low-cost implementation, the effective use of existing equipment and resources, and hands-on practice, the group provides a forum for sharing case studies, discussing challenges, and encouraging more people to try automation in their own laboratories.

Automated and Autonomous Chemical Synthesis Group

Organizer: Yuuya Nagata (NIMS)

The Automated and Autonomous Chemical Synthesis Group aims to advance laboratory automation and autonomous experimentation in chemical synthesis. The group provides a forum for exchanging knowledge and addressing technological challenges related to automated synthesis platforms, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and digital experimental protocols. Particular emphasis is placed on AI-driven experimental planning and decision-making, as well as physical AI that integrates intelligent robotic systems with real-world experimental operations. The group seeks to promote the development and adoption of autonomous laboratory systems that integrate experimental planning, synthesis, analysis, and optimization across organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and materials science through collaboration between academia and industry.

For more details on our activities, please visit our website (in Japanese).