Supported Devices
Swarm AI connects to laboratory instruments through PyLabRobot, providing support for a wide range of devices from multiple manufacturers.
Device Categories
Shakers
Plate shakers and mixers for sample agitation.
| Manufacturer | Models | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Inheco | ThermoShake | Shake, temperature control |
| Various | Plate shakers | Shake at specified RPM |
Operations: shake, stop, lock_plate, unlock_plate
Centrifuges
High-speed centrifuges for sample separation.
| Manufacturer | Models | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Agilent | Various | Centrifuge at g-force |
| Beckman | Various | Centrifuge at g-force |
| Eppendorf | Various | Centrifuge at g-force |
Operations: centrifuge, stop, open, close
Sealers
Heat sealers for microplate sealing.
| Manufacturer | Models | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| A4S | Thermal sealers | Seal at temperature |
Operations: seal, set_temperature, get_temperature
Transporters
Robotic arms and plate handlers for automated plate movement.
| Manufacturer | Models | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| PreciseFlex | PF400 | 4-axis robot arm |
| Hudson | PlateCrane | Plate handler |
Operations: pick_plate, place_plate, move_to, home, gripper control
See Transporters for detailed documentation.
Coming Soon
| Device Type | Status |
|---|---|
| Liquid Handlers (Hamilton, Tecan, Opentrons) | In development |
| Plate Readers | Planned |
| Plate Washers | Planned |
Device Capabilities
Each device exposes specific capabilities. Query a device's capabilities to see what operations it supports:
With Claude:
"What are the capabilities of lab1-shaker-01?"
With REST API:
curl -H "X-API-Key: your-api-key" \
https://swarm.cheshirelabs.io/api/devices/lab1-shaker-01/capabilities
Adding Device Support
Device support is implemented through PyLabRobot backends. If your device isn't supported:
- Check if PyLabRobot already has a backend for it
- Contribute a backend to PyLabRobot (it's open source!)
- Contact us to discuss adding support
What's Next?
- Transporters - Detailed transporter guide
- MCP Tools Reference - Available tools
- swarm-client Setup - Configure your devices