Meet Alexa, your new lab assistant

摘要: Imagine working on a multistep reaction that requires you to add reagents in specific sequence and with precise timing. Standing at the hood, measured ready go, begin carefully orchestrated procedure, when suddenly your mind draws blank. Which reagent do next? You could take off gloves look up protocol lab notebook, but each precious second passes, is more likely fail. Then remember assistant—a black cylinder sitting shelf across lab. “Alexa, ask Helix for coupling reaction,” say. A ring top of glows blue as Alexa rattles correct order addition. Crisis averted. This just one scenario which software developer James Rhodes imagines scientists would benefit from his voice-enabled laboratory assistant called Helix. designed