Patent ID: 8366997

Claim:
A modular laboratory automation system for use with laboratory devices configured in an experimental setup, the system comprising: a controller that is programmed to output initial control signals for controlling the laboratory devices; an interface board that receives the initial control signals and outputs voltage control signals based on the initial control signals, the voltage control signals being indicative of operational voltages and/or amperages of the laboratory devices in the experimental setup, the interface board also receiving monitoring signals from sensors in the experimental setup, the monitoring signals being indicative of experimental variables of the experimental setup, and outputting the monitoring signals to the controller; and a portable power supply that includes a plurality of power terminals, each of the power terminals being electrically connectable to at least one of the laboratory devices in the experimental setup, the portable power supply receiving the voltage control signals and outputting power to the laboratory devices through the power terminals, the outputted power being based on the voltage control signals, wherein the controller is programmed to receive the monitoring signals and output the initial control signals based on the monitoring signals such that the controller controls the voltage control signals and the power outputted to the laboratory devices based on the monitoring signals, and wherein the system is configured to be usable with a plurality of experimental setups such that (a) at least one of the power terminals of the portable power supply is electrically connectable to a first kind of laboratory device in a first experimental setup and is electrically connectable to a second kind of laboratory device in a second experimental setup, (b) the interface board is configured to receive a plurality of different kinds of monitoring signals from a plurality of different kinds of sensors, including receiving monitoring signals from a first kind of sensor in the first experimental setup and receiving monitoring signals from a second kind of sensor in the second experimental setup; and (c) the controller controls power outputted to the first kind of laboratory device in the first experimental setup based on the monitoring signals of the first experimental setup, and controls power outputted to the second kind of laboratory device in the second experimental setup based on the monitoring signals of the second experimental setup.