A computable representation of the physical laboratory enables verifiable workflows

# A computable representation of the physical laboratory enables verifiable workflows
Source: [https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.03621](https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.03621)
Authors:[Xiaobo Li](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Li,+X),[Luyao Ge](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Ge,+L),[Xiaohui Li](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Li,+X),[Lulu Guo](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Guo,+L),[Ming Mao](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Mao,+M),[Jiwang Zheng](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Zheng,+J),[Wenting Guan](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Guan,+W),[Xin Yang](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Yang,+X),[Yi Luo](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Luo,+Y),[Jun Jiang](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Jiang,+J),[Linjiang Chen](https://arxiv.org/search/cs?searchtype=author&query=Chen,+L)

[View PDF](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.03621)

> Abstract:Making science computable requires representations of both scientific knowledge and the physical world in which scientific claims are tested\. A computable representation of the physical laboratory is established through typed research objects, capability\-bound operations and a compositional workflow algebra\. It provides the physical\-world counterpart to machine\-readable knowledge, expressing workflows as programs over evolving laboratory states with explicit dependencies, decisions, iteration and concurrency\. The representation was implemented in a modular agentic robotic laboratory by binding formal operations to executable Function Skills\. For diverse scientific intents, capability\-relative workflows were generated, while stateful simulation propagated object transformations and verified operation preconditions and laboratory constraints before dispatch\. The proposed representation and its engineering framework jointly establish a general computational interface between agent reasoning and capability\-bound physical transformations, providing a foundation for end\-to\-end autonomous scientific discovery\.

## Submission history

From: Xiaobo Li \[[view email](https://arxiv.org/show-email/4c025b6c/2609.03621)\] **\[v1\]**Thu, 3 Sep 2026 10:05:51 UTC \(20,482 KB\)