External Decision-Aid (EDA) Software

Automated experiment control decisions are greatly enhanced by External Decision Aid (EDA) software that is custom-developed by the individual researcher. This is the best way to leverage the specific expertise and knowledge of the individual researcher during autonomous VSOM™ experiments. LCA is currently developing a user-friendly visual programming interface that will allow users of VSOM™ -enabled instruments to visually program the complex experiment control decisions required for autonomous VSOM™ instrument operation. When this interface becomes available there will be no need to learn a programming language.

At the present time custom EDA software is developed by computer programmers. For this reason, LCA offers custom EDA software development services. Alternatively, end users can develop EDA software using any modern programming language. The input for EDA software and the basis for experiment control decisions can include the (i) real-time responses of individual cells observed in a currently executing experiment, (ii) archived responses of individual cells (or cell populations) published in on-line databases, and (iii) predicted responses of individual cells produced by model-based simulations.