[dzhiurgis]

> It is laborious and easy to mess up and takes time (1 to 2 months) to do correctly.

Sounds like a manual software testing. What are the chances of automating entire process? Whenever I see bio/chemists working it seems very manual job. I assume someone already tried it, but perhaps only for specific area rather than making universal robot?

[hcknwscommenter]

Complete automation would be tricky. We are dealing with a lot of starting and intermediate materials that need to be precisely incubated under demanding and entirely sterile conditions. You need incubations at liquid nitrogen temperatures (for storing cell lines), -80 C, -20 C, 4 C, room temp, 30 C, 37 C, 37 C 5% CO2, etc. THen you need a way to go to and from each of these environments and a way of sterilizing in between steps. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it seems difficult.