Search
What is an automated digital lab?
An automated digital lab connects instruments, software, data, automation, and scientific workflows into an intelligent laboratory ecosystem. By integrating digital infrastructure, laboratory automation, workflow orchestration, and AI-ready data foundations, laboratories can accelerate digital transformation, improve operational efficiency, and enable connected scientific workflows across research, development, and quality operations.
Rather than operating through disconnected systems and manual processes, connected laboratories enable seamless data flow, real-time visibility, and scalable automation that supports faster scientific decision-making and continuous innovation.
Workflow orchestration provides the operational foundation for a connected laboratory ecosystem by coordinating instruments, software, automation, workflows, and scientific data. This enables laboratories to scale automation, improve visibility, and support AI-enabled decision-making across the enterprise.
How connected laboratory ecosystems accelerate digital transformation
When automation, software, and scientific data come together in a connected laboratory ecosystem, organizations can accelerate science, improve operational performance, and create a scalable foundation for future innovation.
Benefits of connected scientific workflows
Accelerate results at scale
Connected scientific workflows run continuously, processing samples around the clock and accelerating time to insight.
Improved reproducibility and quality
Digital systems execute protocols consistently, reducing variability and increasing confidence in results.
Seamless data flow and integrity
Connected laboratory platforms eliminate silos, ensuring data is captured, traceable, and ready for analysis.
Increase scientist productivity
Automation removes repetitive tasks, freeing scientists to focus on experimental design, analysis, and discovery.
AI-enabled insights
Advanced analytics and machine learning help identify patterns, optimize workflows, and guide next steps. Effective AI adoption depends on connected, high-quality, and interoperable scientific data. Building strong digital foundations today helps laboratories create the AI-ready infrastructure required for future intelligent automation.
The result is a lab that doesn’t just operate efficiently, it continuously improves.
Stages of digital lab transformation
Building an automated digital lab is a journey. Every organization progresses at its own pace, developing the digital capabilities needed to connect data, automate workflows, and enable increasingly intelligent laboratory operations.
Stages:
1. Digitization
Replace paper-based processes with digital tools to capture and manage data.
2. Standardization
Adopt purpose-built lab systems such as LIMS and ELN to improve consistency and compliance.
3. Integration
Connect instruments, scientific data and workflows to create connected laboratory ecosystems with seamless data flow and end-to-end automation.
4. Intelligent automation
Leverage AI and advanced analytics to optimize experiments and enable self-improving workflows.
Wherever you are today, there’s a clear path forward. One that delivers measurable value at every stage.
The building blocks of an automated digital lab
Every automated digital lab is built on a connected ecosystem of capabilities that bring together laboratory automation, informatics, workflow orchestration, scientific data, and AI-ready infrastructure into a unified operational environment. Together, these capabilities create the digital foundation required to connect workflows, improve operational visibility, and enable intelligent laboratory operations.
Core capabilities of an automated digital lab:
Data foundation
Capture, connect, and standardize data across systems to create a single source of truth.
Lab orchestration
Coordinate connected scientific workflows, instruments, and laboratory resources to improve operational efficiency and enable scalable digital transformation.
Lab control tower
Gain real-time visibility into lab performance with centralized dashboards and insights.
Automated science
Use robotics and automation to execute repetitive tasks with speed and precision.
Intelligent infrastructure
Apply AI and advanced analytics to generate insights and optimize performance.
Resource optimization
Maximize utilization of staff, instruments, and workflows to increase productivity.
Connect automation, informatics, and orchestration across the laboratory
Thermo Fisher Scientific provides a comprehensive portfolio of solutions designed to work together, connecting physical automation, digital workflows, and data systems. Explore connected solutions spanning the Thermo Fisher Connect Enterprise Platform, lab automation and robotics, workflow scheduling software, and laboratory informatics platforms including LIMS and ELN systems.
Whether you’re digitizing individual workflows or transforming an enterprise laboratory network, our solutions scale with your organization’s digital lab transformation journey.
FAQs
Digital lab transformation is the process of modernizing laboratory operations by connecting automation, informatics, scientific workflows, and data into a unified digital ecosystem. Rather than relying on disconnected systems and manual processes, connected laboratories use integrated technologies, workflow orchestration, and AI-ready infrastructure to improve operational efficiency, scalability, collaboration, and scientific decision-making across the enterprise.
Building an automated digital lab typically requires a connected ecosystem of technologies that support scientific workflows, data integration, and operational visibility. These technologies may include laboratory automation systems, robotics, laboratory informatics platforms such as LIMS and ELN, workflow orchestration software, scientific data infrastructure, AI-enabled analytics, and cloud-connected laboratory applications. Together, these technologies help laboratories create connected scientific workflows that improve efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability.
An automated digital lab connects automation, informatics, and orchestration by integrating instruments, workflows, software platforms, and scientific data into a unified operational environment. Automation enables repetitive scientific tasks to run efficiently, informatics platforms manage and standardize laboratory data, and orchestration coordinates workflows, resources, and systems across the laboratory ecosystem. Together, these capabilities support connected scientific workflows, seamless data flow, and real-time operational visibility.
Laboratory orchestration is the coordination of instruments, software, workflows, scientific data, and laboratory resources across connected laboratory operations. Orchestration platforms help laboratories automate end-to-end workflows, improve scheduling and throughput, reduce manual intervention, and enable seamless integration between systems. In connected laboratory ecosystems, orchestration plays a critical role in enabling scalable and efficient digital lab transformation.
Learn more about laboratory orchestration solutions.
AI helps laboratories analyze complex scientific datasets, identify patterns, optimize workflows, and support faster decision-making. AI-enabled analytics can help improve experimental design, automate repetitive processes, predict outcomes, and generate actionable insights from connected laboratory data. AI also supports more intelligent scientific workflows by helping laboratory improve efficiency, scalability and operational visibility.
Yes. Digital lab transformation is typically an incremental journey rather than a single large-scale implementation. Many laboratories begin by digitizing manual processes, implementing informatics platforms, or automating individual workflows before expanding toward more connected laboratory ecosystems. By building capabilities over time, laboratories can improve operational efficiency, integrate systems progressively, and establish the AI-ready data foundations needed for long-term transformation.
Laboratories can prepare for AI adoption by establishing strong digital foundations, standardizing workflows, improving data quality, integrating systems, and implementing connected informatics platforms. High-quality, accessible, and interoperable data is essential for enabling effective AI-driven insights and automation.
Thermo Fisher Scientific helps laboratories build connected digital ecosystems by bringing together automation, informatics, workflow orchestration, scientific data infrastructure, and AI-ready technologies. Our portfolio of solutions supports every stage of digital lab transformation, from workflow automation and laboratory informatics to connected scientific workflows and enterprise-scale orchestration. Explore Thermo Fisher solutions for lab automation, laboratory orchestration, and laboratory informatics. Through strategic partnerships, scientific expertise, and Customer Experience Centers, we help laboratories modernize operations and accelerate scientific innovation.
For Laboratory Use.