What Tech to Keep In Mind When Working In a Lab

Technology is an important part of any laboratory setting. It can help in a variety of ways, including health and safety, recording and monitoring results, and observing changes, among many others.

There are a few pieces of technology in particular that should be considered for nearly every possible situation while in a laboratory. Let’s take a look at a few specific pieces that you might want to install in your next laboratory.

Tech to Keep in Mind

There are three main tech categories for laboratory work and each one has its own separate but equally important function. Let’s take a quick look at these three types.

Automation Technology

First, automation technology can be used to save a significant amount of time. For example, imagine an experiment that involves analyzing temperature increases in a substance or mixture over time. Without tech, you’d have to manually check the temperature every few minutes.

However, if the process were automated and an infrared temperature gun (like the ones used for cooking) was placed in a fixed position near the substance and plugged into a wall socket to prevent dead batteries, the temperature could simply be read instead of putting a thermometer in or near the substance every few minutes.

Information Technology

The next category is technology which provides information that assists in the experiment or process being conducted. For example, imagine the same temperature-checking experiment from before but this time, the temperature scanner is connected to a computer program that automatically records the date, time, and temperature of the substance.

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The program can then interpret this data in a variety of ways that lead to a fuller understanding of the process and its result.

Testing or Analytical Technology

Finally, testing or analytical technology can compare two things and provide an analysis of that data. For example, imagine a lab technician checking a blood sample for cancer markers. Instead of putting it under a microscope and looking for markers manually, the entire blood sample can be uploaded to an app that can detect markers too small for the human eye.

What to Know about Working in a Laboratory

The most important thing during lab work is making safety the top priority. There are almost always dangerous chemicals to be found or, in other cases, chemicals that by themselves are relatively harmless but can become dangerous when combined, like bleach and ammonia.

For these reasons, cleanliness is very important. If something spills, it should be cleaned up immediately. When you’re finished using a chemical, solution, or other item, it should be put back on a shelf or somewhere it won’t be accidentally knocked over.

Perhaps most importantly of all, remember to wash your hands after coming into contact with any substance. An unintentional chemical reaction can lead to serious injury or even death. If the lab is cleaned and safety is prioritized, you should have no problems performing exciting experiments in your home or professional laboratory.