Patent ID: 8594848

Claim:
A software-reconfigurable, computer-controlled chemical processing apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a control system executing configuration and process operation software; a plurality of chemical laboratory glassware elements each element comprising at least one chemical interface port; a plurality of glass chemical transport elements, each transport element connected to at least one of the chemical laboratory glassware elements; and a plurality of electrically-controlled glass stopcock valves comprising glass stopcock valve bodies and associated rotating shaft for rotation within each associated glass stopcock valve body, the associated rotating shaft mechanically coupled to a rotating servomotor actuator, the rotating servomotor actuator comprising a stepper-motor and rotation-angle-sensor unit, the rotating servomotor actuator electrically connected to the control system; wherein the electrically-controlled glass stopcock valves and the glass chemical transport elements are arranged to form a chemical interconnection network that connects the plurality of the chemical laboratory glassware elements for processing of chemicals; and wherein the apparatus is reconfigurable under the control of the configuration and process software; and wherein the control system attains one of a plurality of distinct configurations by reconfiguring the chemical interconnection network.