Anthropic Unveils Standard for AI-Controlled Lab Equipment
Anthropic developed the Model Hardware Standard, or MHS, with HHMI Janelia Research Campus to address a longstanding obstacle in laboratories and advanced manufacturing: equipment from different vendors often lacks a common interface. The specification is designed to let AI agents coordinate programmable physical devices, potentially enabling continuous automated workflows in drug discovery, microscopy, quantum computing and manufacturing while reducing the need for bespoke integrations.
Anthropic opened a limited MHS research preview on Aug. 27, 2026, for an initial group of scientific laboratories and advanced manufacturers. The system can operate microscopes, liquid handlers and robotic arms in parallel, supporting tasks from dose-response experiments to laser calibration on a quantum computer. Anthropic said MHS could cut hardware integration from weeks or months to hours or minutes. The company plans to develop safety evaluations with preview partners before releasing the standard as open source.
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The history behind this eventAnthropic Launches Claude Science AI Workbench and Grant Program
Scientific research often requires switching among PubMed, Jupyter, R and computing clusters, each with different data formats and query interfaces. Anthropic has therefore integrated literature analysis, data processing, charting and paper preparation into Claude Science. The platform retains code and activity logs so findings can be verified and reproduced.
Anthropic launched the public beta of Claude Science on June 30, 2026, with support for macOS and Linux and integrations with more than 60 databases and tools. Its AI for Science program will support up to 50 projects with as much as $30,000 in credits each. Applications close July 15, recipients will be notified by July 31, and projects will run from September 1 to December 1.
Anthropic Brings Computer Use to Claude, Allowing AI Agents to Control Mouse and Keyboard
Anthropic introduced a public beta of Computer Use for Claude 3.5 Sonnet as early as October 22, 2024, allowing the model to read screenshots and simulate clicks and typing. The capability is now moving from a developer API to personal desktops. The key shift is that AI can execute complete workflows across applications, rather than merely generate content.
Anthropic announced on April 24, 2026, that Claude could use computers through Cowork and Claude Code, directly opening applications and controlling the mouse, keyboard and browser. The feature is currently a research preview limited to Pro and Max plans and supports macOS and Windows through Claude Desktop. It requests user authorization before sensitive actions.
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