As every researcher knows, discoveries are exciting, but the experiments that lead to them can involve repetitive tasks that leave you wishing for a robot to do the job. Whether it's mass spectrometry, cell culture, quantitative RT PCR or high-volume genetic screens, several companies have solutions for sale. But what factors do you have to consider in deciding it's time to invest in expensive automated equipment?
For an upcoming Lab Tools article, we want to know how you've approached your automation woes. What technique did you decide to automate, and what pushed you to make the decision? Which equipment did your lab invest in? Are you happy with the off-the-shelf robotic system you purchased, or have you tweaked it in creative ways to make it conform to your needs? Are there experiments you wish you could automate, but no solution on the market that would get it right?The...

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