University of Chicago Launched PoLARIS Lab Network
A new $20 million research network will connect over 20 automated laboratory systems to accelerate soft materials discovery.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Chemistry
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The National Science Foundation has awarded $20 million to the University of Chicago to establish the PoLARIS network. The facility will integrate five laboratories across the university and Argonne National Laboratory using autonomous systems for material science.
Why it matters
By automating research workflows for polymers and adhesives, the project aims to increase the efficiency and reproducibility of soft-materials science. The initiative is part of a larger $380 million National Science Foundation investment in 20 research test beds.
The PoLARIS network connects over 20 automated systems across five laboratories to support high-throughput research. Once fully operational, the system is expected to perform 100 to 300 new experiments per day.
The players
University of Chicago
A research university that leads the PoLARIS project and coordinates regional material science initiatives.
Argonne National Laboratory
A multidisciplinary research facility operated by the Department of Energy that hosts laboratory nodes within the PoLARIS network.
National Science Foundation
A federal agency that funds basic research and manages the $380 million Test Bed initiative.
The details
PoLARIS — Polymer Laboratory for AI, Robotics, Informatics and Standards — integrates multiple research sites through a centralized digital framework. It employs the MADSci framework for managing laboratory workflows alongside the Academy AI agent framework, which coordinates the autonomous material discovery process. These tools allow researchers to share experimental data, workflow controls, and device states across the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory campuses.
Timeline
The NSF award supports the PoLARIS project for a 4-year duration.
The Tech Race
PoLARIS is one of 20 research teams supported by the National Science Foundation's $380 million Test Bed initiative. The project aims to standardize autonomous material discovery in a field currently fragmented by disparate, non-connected laboratory systems.
The platform is designed to accelerate research in soft materials, including liquids, coatings, and flexible electronics. Researchers using the network will benefit from improved data sharing and automated workflow capabilities as the system scales to handle hundreds of experiments daily.
The takeaway
The PoLARIS project marks a shift toward unified, AI-driven automation in material science. Observers should track the network's output as it scales toward its target of 300 experiments per day to assess the impact on research throughput for soft-materials chemistry.
Further reading
For broader trends in automated laboratory research, visit Chemistry.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Argonne National Laboratory.
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