Open source life science automation: Design of experiments and data acquisition via “dial-a-device”

In the field of natural sciences and especially life sciences, the quality of data acquisition and the availability of and the accessibility to research data are critical factors in the overall scientific method which have an impact on the quality of the published results. We present a novel software infrastructure for academic chemistry institutions that allows the management of modern laboratory environments. The fundamental parts of the scientific process, namely the design of experiments, the acquisition of data, and their management, have been considered and implemented in this new software platform “dial-a-device”. This software platform is available in an open source and modular format that guarantees affordability and high flexibility.