astaff / labware

Python framework for programmatically working with labware containers and the OT-One drivers.

OpenTrons Labware Library

The point of this repository is to provide a software equivalent to an operating OpenTrons machine, including all related deck modules and instruments (pipettes, tipracks, microplates, etc).

This current version has basic support for keeping track of liquids (and mixtures of liquids) between liquid containers.

It's currently exporting data concerning modules to a separate codebases in charge of running the OpenTrons frontend and backend.

Containers API

The labware.containers module provides data about all supported containers, as well as conversions between old and new data formats.

Containers can be specified by the user.

Listing Containers

import labware.containers

list = labware.containers.list_containers()

Defining a Container

Containers definitions are stored in config/containers. These are YAML files specifying the base type of container, the number of columns and rows, the A1 offset, and well margin.

See the documented example container for more detailed instructions.

For containers with varying well or tube sizes, you can specify each variation as a custom_well within the YAML structure. See the 15-50ml tuberack for an example of this functionality being used.

Getting Container Well Offset

All container classes provide a static interface for getting non-calibrated well offsets, which are all in reference to the A1 (or first coordinate) of each plate.

import labware.containers

microplate = labware.containers.load_container('microplate.24')
microplate.offset('A1')

Tipracks and Tip Inventory

Containers of the Tiprack type have the ability to return the position of a tip from a given offset number of tips (which represent the tips that have been used during the operation of the robot).

For example, the code below will provide the offset to the eleventh tip position, in the event that the first ten have already been used.

import labware.containers

tiprack = labware.containers.load_container('tiprack.10ul')
tiprack.tip_offset(10)

User-Specific Containers

Users can provide their own YAML files specifying custom containers. These containers can be stored anywhere, but must be loaded within the containers module before being accessible.

import labware.containers

labware.containers.load_custom_containers('/path/to/containers')

This will do a recursive glob through the directory provided and add all YAML files to the list of available labware containers.

Supported Container Types

As of this writing, supported container types are as follows:

• Grid (all containers extend from this base)
• Legacy (containers specified within the old containers.json format)
• Microplate
• Reservoir
• Tiprack
• Tuberack

For an up-to-date list, please use the containers.list_container_types() method.

These types are implemented in the internal code and are currently not extendable by the end user.