Self-driving laboratories in Japan

Abstract

Self-driving laboratories (SDLs) are transforming the scientific discovery process worldwide by integrating automated experimentation with data-driven decision-making. Japan, known for its automation industry, is actively contributing to this field. This perspective introduces Japan's efforts in SDL development, including diverse applications across materials science, biology, chemistry, and software. In addition, it covers national funding programs, research communities, and Japanese industries supporting progress in this field. It also highlights the importance of education, standardization, and benchmarking for the future growth of SDL research.

Graphical abstract: Self-driving laboratories in Japan

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
09 Dec 2024
Accepted
14 May 2025
First published
27 May 2025
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Digital Discovery, 2025, Advance Article

Self-driving laboratories in Japan

N. Yoshikawa, Y. Asano, D. N. Futaba, K. Harada, T. Hitosugi, G. N. Kanda, S. Matsuda, Y. Nagata, K. Nagato, M. Naito, T. Natsume, K. Nishio, K. Ono, H. Ozaki, W. Shin, J. Shiomi, K. Shizume, K. Takahashi, S. Takeda, I. Takeuchi, R. Tamura, K. Tsuda and Y. Ushiku, Digital Discovery, 2025, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D4DD00387J

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