Robotic scientists will 'speed up discovery'

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have unveiled a robotic colleague that has been working non-stop in their lab throughout lockdown.

The £100,000 programmable researcher learns from its results to refine its experiments.

"It can work autonomously, so I can run experiments from home," explained Benjamin Burger, one of the developers, according to BBC News.

Such technology could make scientific discovery "a thousand times faster", scientists say.

A new report by the Royal Society of Chemistry lays out a "post-Covid national research strategy", using robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced computing as part of a suite of technologies that "must be urgently embraced" to help socially distancing scientists continue their search for solutions to global challenges.

The robotic scientist is currently embarking on a series of tests to find a catalyst that could speed up the reaction that takes place inside solar cells.