The Digital Lab Facility Manager: Automating operations of research laboratories through “The World Avatar”

Abstract

This paper presents a novel framework for digitalising and automating the management of specialised research laboratories using The World Avatar, a general all-encompassing dynamic knowledge graph. Semantic Web technology empowers users to effectively utilise data across various systems and formats without restricting them to a single software or protocol. Employing agents and ontologies, it enables seamless data sharing, computational reasoning, and gradual automation of tasks, addressing obstacles in interoperability and adaptability. Showcasing the capabilities of this approach, we tackle some common challenges in lab facility management, including cost-effective IoT sensor network integration with an existing building management system and efficient airflow management for fume hoods via `human-in-the-loop' interventions. We also developed unified platform-agnostic interfaces that complement the framework. These advancements represent a significant stride in the holistic digitalisation and automation of research laboratories at the nexus of fundamental science and smart building applications, setting a foundation for future research facilities to achieve operational excellence and sustainability.