AgentChemist: A Multi-Agent Experimental Robotic Platform Integrating Chemical Perception and Precise Control

arXiv cs.RO / 3/26/2026

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Key Points

  • The paper introduces AgentChemist, a multi-agent experimental robotics platform aimed at overcoming rigid, script-based chemical lab automation that struggles with long-tail, infrequent, and evolving tasks.
  • It combines chemical perception for real-time reaction monitoring with feedback-driven execution so the system can adapt dispensing and control actions based on the changing experimental state.
  • The approach uses collaborative task decomposition and dynamic scheduling to improve handling of novel reaction conditions and unexpected procedural variations.
  • Experiments on acid-base titration validate autonomous progress tracking, adaptive dispensing control, and reliable end-to-end execution.
  • Overall, the work positions the platform as a practical step toward more generalizable, flexible, and scalable intelligent laboratory automation.

Abstract

Chemical laboratory automation has long been constrained by rigid workflows and poor adaptability to the long-tail distribution of experimental tasks. While most automated platforms perform well on a narrow set of standardized procedures, real laboratories involve diverse, infrequent, and evolving operations that fall outside predefined protocols. This mismatch prevents existing systems from generalizing to novel reaction conditions, uncommon instrument configurations, and unexpected procedural variations. We present a multi-agent robotic platform designed to address this long-tail challenge through collaborative task decomposition, dynamic scheduling, and adaptive control. The system integrates chemical perception for real-time reaction monitoring with feedback-driven execution, enabling it to adjust actions based on evolving experimental states rather than fixed scripts. Validation via acid-base titration demonstrates autonomous progress tracking, adaptive dispensing control, and reliable end-to-end experiment execution. By improving generalization across diverse laboratory scenarios, this platform provides a practical pathway toward intelligent, flexible, and scalable laboratory automation.