Cobot supports neurological research

Robotics Cobot supports neurological research

2024-09-30 Source: ABB | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

Related Vendor

Work in a research laboratory often requires a delicate touch. Automated solutions were therefore often fraught with disadvantages that are unacceptable in research. This is now set to change.

Yumi from ABB takes over the entire process of transferring the fruit flies and performs ten pre-programmed steps for this purpose.(Image: ABB) — Yumi from ABB takes over the entire process of transferring the fruit flies and performs ten pre-programmed steps for this purpose.
(Image: ABB)

ABB Robotics and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital, one of the largest children's hospitals in the USA, have developed an automated workstation for the transfer of fruit flies. According to a statement, it is equipped with ABB's collaborative robot Yumi and is used in the study of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's. Fruit flies are used to study various areas of biology, including genetics and behavioral research. They share many genetic and developmental markers with humans and are used worldwide in studies on neurological diseases in humans.

A typical research lab, according to ABB, has about 20,000 vials containing fruit flies. Researchers spend approximately 20 percent of their workday transferring the flies. They hold a vial containing the flies over another vial with fresh food and then lightly tap it to make the flies fall into the new vial. Yumi now takes over the entire process of transferring the fruit flies, performing ten pre-programmed steps in rapid succession. The collaborative robot picks up a vial with live flies, opens the protective cellulose acetate plug, holds the vial over one with fresh food, and taps it to transfer the flies. Afterwards, it seals the vials, labels them, scans them, and places them in cardboard racks. Additionally, the robot disposes of the old vials to prevent cross-contamination.

According to ABB, this is the first automation solution where the flies do not need to be anesthetized with anesthetics such as carbon dioxide before transferring.

“This article was first published on our sister portal "elektrotechnik" (German Edition), Vogel Communications Group.“

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.