An integrated platform for liquid handling and cell imaging in life science applications

The increasing complexity of life science research requires laboratory tools that combine precision, automation, and accessibility. Conventional liquid handling and imaging systems are either separated or integrated at high cost, limiting their adoption in small-scale laboratories. Here we show that G-Bot, a compact five-axis platform, integrates automated liquid handling, live-cell imaging, and real-time data processing into a single system. G-Bot performs complex workflows, e.g., including cell seeding, drug dosing, media exchange, and long-term live-cell imaging, while maintaining stable culture conditions through integrated incubator and stage-top regulation modules. Its imaging capabilities span cells, organoids, and small organisms such as zebrafish larvae, providing high-content, physiologically relevant data. Unlike pipette-based systems, G-Bot employs a tubing-based dispensing mechanism for precise reagent delivery with minimal waste. By unifying liquid handling, imaging, and analysis, G-Bot streamlines laboratory-scale workflows, improves reproducibility, and bridges the gap between manual methods and costly industrial automation, offering broad utility in research and drug discovery.