Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42023166›Full record

ArticleDigital discovery2026

Chemist Eye: a visual language model-powered system for safety monitoring and robot decision-making in self-driving laboratories.

Francisco Munguia-Galeano, Zhengxue Zhou, Satheeshkumar Veeramani, Hatem Fakhruldeen, Louis Longley, Rob Clowes, Andrew I Cooper

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Digital discovery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Francisco Munguia-GaleanoCooper Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Liverpool UK aicooper@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8397-3083
Zhengxue ZhouCooper Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Liverpool UK aicooper@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9478-9361
Satheeshkumar VeeramaniCooper Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Liverpool UK aicooper@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2538-0022
Hatem FakhruldeenCooper Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Liverpool UK aicooper@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5043-2159
Louis LongleyCooper Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Liverpool UK aicooper@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9178-9603
Rob ClowesCooper Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Liverpool UK aicooper@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4686-2119
Andrew I CooperCooper Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool Liverpool UK aicooper@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0201-1021

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The use of robotics and automation in self-driving laboratories (SDLs) can introduce additional safety complexities, beyond those already present in conventional research laboratories. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is an essential requirement for ensuring the safety and well-being of workers in all laboratories, self-driving or otherwise. Fires are another important risk factor in chemical laboratories. In SDLs, fires that occur close to mobile robots, which use flammable lithium batteries, could have increased severity. Here, we present Chemist Eye, a distributed safety monitoring system designed to enhance situational awareness in SDLs. The system integrates multiple stations equipped with RGB, depth, and infrared cameras, designed to monitor incidents in SDLs. Chemist Eye is also designed to spot workers who have suffered a potential accident or medical emergency, PPE compliance and fire hazards. To do this, Chemist Eye uses decision-making driven by a vision-language model (VLM). Chemist Eye is designed for seamless integration, enabling real-time communication with robots. Based on the VLM recommendations, the system attempts to drive mobile robots away from potential fire locations, exits, or individuals not wearing PPE, and issues audible warnings where necessary. It also integrates with third-party messaging platforms to provide instant notifications to lab personnel. We tested Chemist Eye with real-world data from an SDL equipped with three mobile robots and found that the spotting of possible safety hazards and decision-making performances reached 88% and 95%, respectively.

Identifiers

PMID42023166
PMCPMC13096880

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.