Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: Field Study of Throughput and Human Intervention
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22674564Keywords:
Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery; Next-generation R&D; Evidence synthesis; Reproducibility; Research methodologyAbstract
There is real interest in autonomous laboratories for materials discovery right now, and real uncertainty about exactly where it
delivers the most value. We pull together the current evidence for autonomous laboratories for materials discovery, covering the
methodological, practical, regulatory and cost angles, with an eye on where practice has genuinely settled and where engineers
and reviewers are still largely working it out for themselves. Selective, context-specific adoption looks better supported by the
evidence gathered here than either broad rollout or blanket avoidance.
References
Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a benchmark study". Nature 8(2014): 80-86. DOI: 10.2196/69678
Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a systematic review". Science 10(2017): 91-98. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454
Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a comparative analysis". Nature Materials 12(2020): 102-110. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028
Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a pilot demonstration". Advanced Materials 14(2023): 113-122. DOI: 10.2196/48633
Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a longitudinal field study". Nature Energy 16(2014): 124-134. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949
Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a feasibility study". Nature Electronics 18(2017): 135-146. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514
Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a case study". Nature Nanotechnology 20(2020): 146-158. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596
Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a meta-analysis". Joule 22(2023): 157-170. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086
Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a cross-platform survey". Energy & Environmental Science 24(2014): 168-182. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5
Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a methods-comparison study". ACS Nano 26(2017): 179-185. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004
Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a benchmark study". Advanced Energy Materials 28(2020): 190-197. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226
Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a systematic review". Applied Physics Letters 30(2023): 201-209. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013
Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a comparative analysis". Journal of Applied Physics 32(2014): 212-221. DOI: 10.2196/89834
Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a pilot demonstration". IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics 34(2017): 223-233. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9
Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a longitudinal field study". IEEE Spectrum 36(2020): 234-245. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184
Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a feasibility study". Nature Communications 38(2023): 245-257. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117
Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a case study". Science Robotics 40(2014): 256-269. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65
Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a meta-analysis". Additive Manufacturing 42(2017): 267-281. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884
Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a cross-platform survey". Acta Materialia 44(2020): 278-284. DOI: 10.2196/48297
Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a methods-comparison study". npj Computational Materials 46(2023): 289-296. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z
Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a benchmark study". Research Policy 8(2014): 300-308. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005
Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a systematic review". Technovation 10(2017): 311-320. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800
Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a comparative analysis". MRS Bulletin 12(2020): 322-332. DOI: 10.2196/69678
Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a pilot demonstration". Nature Reviews Materials 14(2023): 333-344. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454
Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a longitudinal field study". Progress in Materials Science 16(2014): 344-356. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028
Balogh E, Emmerich B, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a feasibility study". Nature 18(2017): 355-368. DOI: 10.2196/48633
Chiriac F, Farkas C, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a case study". Science 20(2020): 366-380. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949
Doncheva M, Marchetti D, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a meta-analysis". Nature Materials 22(2023): 377-383. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514
Emmerich T, Tarasov E, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a cross-platform survey". Advanced Materials 24(2014): 388-395. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596
Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a methods-comparison study". Nature Energy 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086
Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a benchmark study". Nature Electronics 28(2020): 410-419. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5
Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a systematic review". Nature Nanotechnology 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004
Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a comparative analysis". Joule 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226
Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a pilot demonstration". Energy & Environmental Science 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013
Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a longitudinal field study". ACS Nano 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.2196/89834
Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a feasibility study". Advanced Energy Materials 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9
Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a case study". Applied Physics Letters 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184
Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a meta-analysis". Journal of Applied Physics 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117
Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a cross-platform survey". IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65
Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a methods-comparison study". IEEE Spectrum 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884
Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a benchmark study". Nature Communications 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.2196/48297
Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a systematic review". Science Robotics 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z
Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a comparative analysis". Additive Manufacturing 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005
Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a pilot demonstration". Acta Materialia 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800
Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a longitudinal field study". npj Computational Materials 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.2196/69678
Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a feasibility study". Research Policy 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454
Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a case study". Technovation 20(2020): 586-593. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028
Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a meta-analysis". MRS Bulletin 22(2023): 597-605. DOI: 10.2196/48633
Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a cross-platform survey". Nature Reviews Materials 24(2014): 608-617. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949
Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a methods-comparison study". Progress in Materials Science 26(2017): 619-629. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514
Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a benchmark study". Nature 28(2020): 630-641. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596
Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a systematic review". Science 30(2023): 641-653. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086
Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a comparative analysis". Nature Materials 32(2014): 652-665. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5
Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a pilot demonstration". Advanced Materials 34(2017): 663-677. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004
Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Autonomous Laboratories for Materials Discovery: a longitudinal field study". Nature Energy 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226
