Anthropic opens research preview for AI hardware standard

Investing.com -- Anthropic announced Thursday it is opening a research preview of the Model Hardware Standard, a shared specification designed to allow AI agents to operate physical devices in laboratories and manufacturing facilities.

The standard enables AI agents to control multiple instruments simultaneously, including microscopes, liquid handlers, and robotic arms. Anthropic developed MHS in collaboration with HHMI Janelia Research Campus.

The company said the standard reduces hardware integration time from weeks or months to hours or minutes. MHS works with any device that has a programmable interface and is model-agnostic, allowing any agent harness to access it using standard protocols such as the Model Context Protocol.

The system uses a standardized driver that translates between a computer's operating system and hardware devices through simple commands. The driver makes each device discoverable in a standard format, allowing devices and agents to communicate across networks without requiring custom integration programs.

Several companies are adding MHS support to their equipment. Amazon Web Services will support MHS through Strands Robots, its library for connecting AI agents to physical devices. Automata is adding support to LINQ, its lab automation platform. Tecan is adding MHS support for its Fluent liquid handling platforms, and Universal Robots plans to add support to its robotics platform.

Danaher and Anthropic are exploring how MHS could enable smart instruments and autonomous laboratories to scale biomedical research. Doosan Robotics is testing MHS with robotic arms for automated quality assurance. QIAGEN is experimenting with MHS on its nucleic acid purification platform, QIAsymphony Connect.

Anthropic said it will use the research preview period to build safety evaluations with launch partners and develop protections for AI use with physical equipment. The company plans to open-source the standard after the preview period and will release findings as part of its guidance for safe deployment.

The company is inviting stakeholders across industries to join the waitlist for the research preview.

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