Medical research-oriented workflow automation in distributed heterogeneous environments of data acquisition

In modern Life Science Automation a general trend of flexible distributed data acquisitions and consistent data processing from intelligent sensor or actuator networks up to the collaborative workflow layer means actual challenges of IT-solutions. The Center for Life Science Automation Rostock Germany prefers an open framework approach of a workflow-oriented data management for the requirements of variable R&D applications in wired or wireless automation environments. The wide range of current application scenarios covers combinatorial chemistry, catalysis, high throughput screening (HTS), high content screening (HCS), and medical automation projects. The article addresses concepts and an IT platform solution for e-health / telemedicine scenarios. The discussed research-oriented medical showcase is based on a user definable process description associated with interactions, specific pre- and post processing, in-time sensor data visualization as well as communication in automation hierarchies. The IT approach supports scalable mobile or stationary data acquisitions as well as variable server cluster for raw data, process communication, data management and data processing.