The autonomous instrument: A design

Abstract A design of software for an autonomous atomic emission instrument is presented with the emphasis on a subsystem for automatic selection of calibration methodology for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) is described. The suitability of the 1st-Class expert system shell for development and final implementation of this system is discussed. The calibration methodology system is described in the context of ongoing research into the development of autonomous ICP instrumentation.