Smart heightened-containment biological laboratory: Technologies, modules, and aims

With the rapid development of intelligent technology, the smart heightened-containment biological laboratory (sHCBL) has moved from concept to reality. Experimental activities and laboratory construction, operation, and management will undoubtedly lead to disruptive changes. Conventional laboratories are increasingly being replaced by smart laboratories; however, the key technologies involved in this transition remain at an exploratory stage. It is necessary for HCBLs to absorb the advanced ideas of smart laboratories to guarantee the establishment of biosafety and biosecurity in a more automated way. This study examines in detail sHCBL module structures, the functions of each module, laboratory operation processes, and the advanced nature of smart laboratories. It may provide a theoretical foundation for the future transformation and smart construction of sHCBLs.