OT2Eye: Detection of labware conditions to monitor and extend affordable liquid-handling robots

In the automation of life science experiments, verifying and recording the types, positions, and states of labware are essential for quality assurance and traceability of experimental results. To achieve this, researchers often record static images or videos within lab automation instruments and workstations. However, the absence of specialized open-source software for labware detection significantly hinders the efficient utilization of these images and videos in automated life science experiments. To address this issue, we developed OT2Eye, a labware detection tool tailored for the images and videos of the Opentrons OT-2, an affordable liquid-handling robot. OT2Eye demonstrated high accuracy in identifying various labware types, including microwell plates and tip racks, and precisely locating them within the OT-2 workspace. Additionally, OT2Eye accurately detected the presence or absence of tips on tip racks. OT2Eye renders labware states machine-readable, streamlining labware status management and logging, and enabling integration with AI-driven laboratory automation systems using cost-effective automated pipetting robots.