ALA and Lab automation 2000

Laboratory automation has come a long way since the first systems were intr oduced in the 1980s. The goal has always been to reduce human error and inc rease productivity. Now 20 years later, we are seeing these goals being rea lized. An important contributor to this success has been the focus on autom ation technology that has been provided by the Association for Laboratory A utomation (ALA), and specifically by the annual conferences and exhibition run by the Association.