# A Programmable Optics Cloud Laboratory

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.16413 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.16413/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 14 Sep 2026.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Vision-Language Agents for Active Perception in Optics Laboratories](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.32918/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Laboratory automation can improve experimental throughput, accessibility, and reproducibility, but many robotic laboratory systems remain difficult to reconfigure. This challenge is especially pronounced in free-space optics, where experiments are built from heterogeneous components, require precise alignment, and are frequently rearranged as experimental goals change. In this work, we present the Programmable Infrastructure for Cloud Optics (PICO), a robotic cloud-laboratory architecture designed to make reconfigurable optical experiments easier to program, operate, and reproduce. PICO provides a common domain-specific abstraction and software layer through which experimental configurations and actions can be controlled across different user interfaces. This enables the same physical laboratory to support remote interactive use, scripted experiments, autonomous routines, and features such as version control. We implement PICO on a robotic free-space optics platform and demonstrate it through an experimental case study.