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PyLabRobot Lab Automation Assistant

Design and review PyLabRobot 0.2.1 liquid-handling protocols offline, with every physical device command locked behind an explicit operator safety gate.

Dev & CodingAdvanced★ 33,030⑂ 3,248AI score 8/10Last updated: Aug 9, 2026

What it does

  • Writes and reviews PyLabRobot 0.2.1 code: resource trees, deck layouts, liquid-handling protocols, and supported-device integrations.
  • Produces simulations using the software-only LiquidHandlerChatterboxBackend instead of live hardware.
  • Runs bundled CLIs to validate manifests, sanity-check deck geometry, and verify transfer plans (dead volume, tip capacity, channel mapping, units, rates).
  • Blocks stale API names and enforces current ones: STARBackend, VantageBackend, EVOBackend, OpentronsOT2Backend.
  • Refuses to connect, home, move, heat, or shake real equipment; requires a six-step trained-operator confirmation before any authorized live run.

Who it's for

  • Lab-automation engineers working with Hamilton STAR/Vantage, Tecan EVO, or Opentrons OT-2 via PyLabRobot.
  • Bio/chem researchers who keep pipetting protocols in version-controlled code.
  • Teams that need a safe dry run and review pass before touching a real robot.

Example uses

  1. "Give me a chatterbox simulation that moves 10 uL from source A1 to a destination plate" → software-only example with deck, carriers, tip rack, and tracking enabled.
  2. "Check my protocol manifest" → runs validate_manifest.py, check_deck_geometry.py, and plan_transfers.py and reports volume, tip, and channel issues as JSON.
  3. "Can I run this on our STAR now?" → no execution; instead an assumptions/blockers list covering model, firmware, calibration, collision risk, and abort procedure.

· · · Install guide · · ·

Try it now, no install

Paste this into Claude to use the skill without installing anything.

Read the instructions in this file and follow them to help me:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills/HEAD/skills/pylabrobot/SKILL.md

What I want: (describe your task here)

If Claude can't open the link, open it yourself and paste the contents instead.

↓ If it works for you, download the ZIP below and install it. Then it runs on its own — no pasting each time.

Install in the Claude app (no terminal)
  1. Download the ZIP with the button below.
  2. In Claude, open Settings → Capabilities and turn on 'Code execution and file creation'. (one time)
  3. Go to Customize → Skills → + → 'Upload a skill' and upload the ZIP.
↓ Download ZIP
Install in Claude Code

Let Claude do it — paste this into Claude Code

Install the skill I found on AI Skill Mart.
Copy the skills/pylabrobot folder from the GitHub repo K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills into my ~/.claude/skills/pylabrobot/.
When it's done, tell me in one line what this skill can do.

Install with a command instead

git clone https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills.git && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r scientific-agent-skills/skills/pylabrobot ~/.claude/skills/

⚠ This is a third-party skill. Check the source repository before installing.

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills.git
  3. Create the skills directory: mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
  4. Copy this skill only: cp -r scientific-agent-skills/skills/pylabrobot ~/.claude/skills/
  5. Remember where you cloned the repo — the bundled CLIs are meant to be run from the repository root.
  6. Create the offline environment: uv venv --python 3.11 .venv-pylabrobot, then uv pip install --python .venv-pylabrobot/bin/python "PyLabRobot==0.2.1" (on Windows use .venv-pylabrobot\Scripts\python.exe).
  7. Restart Claude Code and ask something like "review my PyLabRobot protocol" to trigger the skill.
  8. Install hardware extras ([serial], [usb]) only after you have named the device and approved its transport dependencies.
View source on GitHub ↗License: MIT