title: THE DECADE OF THE RABiT (2005-15).
abstract: The RABiT (Rapid Automated Biodosimetry Tool) is a dedicated Robotic platform for the automation of cytogenetics-based biodosimetry assays. The RABiT was developed to fulfill the critical requirement for triage following a mass radiological or nuclear event. Starting from well-characterized and accepted assays we developed a custom robotic platform to automate them. We present here a brief historical overview of the RABiT program at Columbia University from its inception in 2005 until the RABiT was dismantled at the end of 2015. The main focus of this paper is to demonstrate how the biological assays drove development of the custom robotic systems and in turn new advances in commercial robotic platforms inspired small modifications in the assays to allow replacing customized robotics with 'off the shelf' systems. Currently, a second-generation, RABiT II, system at Columbia University, consisting of a PerkinElmer cell::explorer, was programmed to perform the RABiT assays and is undergoing testing and optimization studies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA gyg2101@cumc.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garty
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.|Present address: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueil, QC, Canada J4G 1A1.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.|Present address: Auris Surgical Robotics Inc., 125 Shoreway Rd, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.|Present address: BioReliance Corp., 9630 Medical Center Dr, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taveras
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.|Present address: General Motors Co., 30500 Mound Road, Warren, MI 48090, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.|Present address: Curiosity Lab Inc., 54 Mallard Pl. Secaucus, NJ, 07094, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatla
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.|Present address: Cytogenetic Biodosimetry Laboratory, Radiation Emergency Assistance Center and Training Site, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Building SC-10, 1299, Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balajee
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Bigelow
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Repin
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Lyulko
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.|Present address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbuilt University, PMB 351592, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Simaan
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, VC11-230, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Brenner
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods