BEVERLY, Mass. — HighRes announced a new brand identity and a major shift in its technology direction at SLAS2026, signaling an evolution from building reliable automation platforms to delivering intelligent, accessible laboratory systems designed for the next era of scientific discovery.
For more than two decades, HighRes has supported some of the world’s most advanced laboratories with automation systems built for reliability, longevity, and performance in environments where failure is not an option. While many customers have depended on HighRes automation for years, the company said its broader transformation toward intelligent, software-driven laboratory systems has largely taken place behind the scenes.
“Automation used to be a specialty,” said Ira Hoffman, CEO of HighRes. “That world no longer exists. Science today isn’t limited by imagination. It’s limited by access. Too many scientists are still waiting for expertise, approvals, or intermediaries just to turn ideas into reproducible reality. We decided that had to change.”
According to the company, the timing reflects a deliberate, multi-year effort to prepare for a technological inflection point in which artificial intelligence, orchestration, and accessibility converge to reshape how laboratories operate. Rather than focusing solely on simplifying automation, HighRes concentrated on making laboratory systems intelligent.
Advances in AI, perception, simulation, and software orchestration have reached a level where laboratory systems can understand their environment, adapt in real time, and guide users through complex scientific workflows. HighRes said these capabilities are now mature enough for broad deployment, as scientific demand continues to accelerate.
At SLAS2026, the company is presenting a new generation of software capabilities aimed at expanding access to automation and orchestration across laboratories. These include AI-powered lab assistants that enable users to create and manage workflows using natural language, robotic perception systems that can validate processes and automatically recover from errors, and scientifically informed platforms grounded in validated experimental outcomes drawn from hundreds of prior installations in genomics, drug discovery, and synthetic biology.
The platform also incorporates digital twin technology and a lab design environment that allows organizations to design, simulate, and execute laboratory builds and workflows digitally before deployment. HighRes said the combined technologies are intended to help laboratories operate as cohesive, responsive systems while reducing friction and improving reliability.
Alongside the technology launch, HighRes introduced a refreshed brand identity designed to reflect its evolution. The company said the new brand emphasizes precision, intelligence, and the human ingenuity behind its systems, aligning its external presence with its focus on removing barriers to scientific progress.
“This isn’t automation for experts anymore,” Hoffman said. “It’s automation that creates experts.”
The new brand and technology direction are being showcased throughout SLAS2026 with live demonstrations and hands-on experiences focused on the future of intelligent laboratory operations.
