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Deciphering Lab Outcomes through IoT solutions

Deciphering Lab Outcomes through IoT solutions

Deciphering Lab Outcomes through IoT solutions

By Sridhar Iyengar

A recent article in The Scientist magazine featured the Elemental Machines IoT-based data solution as an example of new technologies available to improve laboratory outcomes.  The solution helped one of our customers, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, decipher data irreproducibility and accelerate data collection.

With the help of an Element-A, an IoT-equipped ambient environmental sensor, Sunovion was able to troubleshoot the root cause behind the irreproducibility of their HPLC data*.  Spoiler alert: It was the HVAC system that blew hot or cold air in the vicinity of the lab equipment.

 

Additionally, with the help of an Element-T, an IoT-equipped temperature sensor,  Sunovion automated temperature data collection during chemical reactions. Furthermore, the data collected by the Elemental Machines solution was seamlessly integrated into scientists’ electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs). Prior to the Elemental machines solution, scientists manually input temperature readings into their tablets while monitoring chemical reactions.  

 

The changes to the workflow are greatly appreciated by the Sunovion team, as explained by Sr Director, Lakshminarasimhan Pranatharthiharan. “I want to use tools that make the life of my folks a little bit easier…Now they can just plug the stuff in and then go and do something else.”

 

The Sunovion experience exemplifies just three of the benefits of adopting IoT technology into its laboratory workflow:

  • Troubleshooting data reproducibility
  • Expediting lab workflows
  • Integrating data into ELNs

Other customers have noted even more benefits of adapting IoT technology into their laboratory workflows:

  • Automated electronic data capture - The effects of electronic data capture are far-reaching including improved data integrity and the generation of a digital, auditable trail.  Furthermore, workflows once requiring active attention are now passive processes, thus allowing users to focus on more value-add tasks.
  • Elimination of data silos - Data aggregation from various laboratory equipment provides new levels of insight on deciphering lab outcomes.
  • Shared data access - With cloud storage, data is easily shared to improve collaboration among team members.  This applies both to multidisciplinary teams within the same facility and to large, multi-site global teams.

 

Even with these noted benefits, we have just started to unleash the powers of IoT (as well as big data, machine learning, AI, and cloud) for the laboratory. These technologies will be the foundation of building the Lab of the Future.  Connect with us to learn more about our upcoming solutions!  

 

*HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) equipment is used to separate and identify different components within a sample mixture.  A sample mixture is introduced into a column filled with chromatographic material.  The chromatographic material separates different materials within the sample mixture.  Thus, each unique material within the mixture is eluted through the column at a different time.  Temperature fluctuations of the sample mixture or the column material can affect elution times, thus impacting the efficacy of the separation.

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