en.Wedoany.com Reported - Swiss ABB Robotics and Roche Diagnostics have announced a global partnership to jointly develop and commercialize new robotic solutions for clinical laboratories. This collaboration aims to create more flexible, faster, and reliable interconnected laboratories to meet the growing demands of the healthcare industry.
In healthcare, approximately 70% of treatment decisions are based on diagnostic tests¹. Laboratories are facing challenges such as a shortage of qualified personnel, coupled with an aging population and the trend toward personalized medicine, making it urgent to accelerate analysis processes and improve efficiency. Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics, stated that this partnership is a significant milestone in accelerating laboratory automation, bringing more autonomous and versatile robotics technology into clinical laboratories on a large scale. Collaborating with Roche will bring the latest physical AI technology to laboratories worldwide, addressing key challenges that prevent labs from delivering optimal results for patients.
The collaboration will focus on developing scalable automation solutions aimed at streamlining key processes such as sample preparation and internal logistics, helping laboratories achieve faster and more efficient diagnostics, thereby improving patient care. The initial applications target two areas: ABB Robotics, in partnership with Roche's pathology division, will develop solutions to support slide processing and tissue handling, advancing laboratories toward digital, interconnected workflows; in Roche's largest laboratory analysis segment—core diagnostics laboratories—ABB Robotics will use autonomous mobile manipulators to transport samples and materials between different devices, providing enhanced connectivity, flexibility, and consistency.
Marc Boehm, Head of Core Laboratory Lifecycle at Roche Diagnostics, stated that the partnership with ABB Robotics enables robotic automation to be applicable to laboratories of all sizes, and this flexibility and consistency are crucial for clinical diagnostics¹. By automating repetitive tasks, laboratory personnel can focus on more complex analytical work, directly accelerating the process from diagnosis to treatment decisions.
ABB Robotics will leverage its automation experience, global manufacturing operations, and AI-driven robot portfolio to develop industrial-grade laboratory solutions. Roche will contribute its diagnostic expertise and application knowledge to ensure the solutions are adapted to real clinical environments. By utilizing physical AI (where robots learn from real-world data and adapt to dynamic environments), ABB Robotics is driving scalable, flexible laboratory automation solutions that help laboratories improve efficiency and facilitate faster decision-making, enabling labs to deliver more reliable results for patients.
