Research progress in laboratory intelligence technology and biosafety laboratory: a review

Biosafety laboratories are essential infrastructure for modern biological research, serving as the core platform for pathogen-related experiments and a critical component of the national biosafety system. However, current biosafety laboratories generally face challenges such as heavy manual operational tasks and high biosafety risks due to direct exposure of personnel to hazardous pathogens. Advancing intelligent unmanned operation has thus become an urgent priority. This paper systematically reviews the research findings on laboratory intelligent technologies and intelligent biological safety laboratories from January 1, 2018 to September 1, 2025, with a focus on intelligent technologies and equipment closely related to biosafety laboratory applications. It delves into the evolution of laboratory intelligence—from single-operation automation to automated experimental pipeline systems and further to function-configurable automated biochemistry laboratory systems—along with advancements in digital operation and maintenance management. The review aims to offer practical references for biosafety laboratories to overcome manual operational limitations and evolve into intelligent unmanned ones, helping reduce human-induced experimental errors to enhance experimental accuracy and safety, and promote the development of biosafety laboratories toward efficient, secure, and intelligent directions.