arXiv:2608.26198cs.AIphysics.ins-det2026-08

用AI代理自动操作原子力显微镜,让专家只管实验意图。

Agentic AI for operating scientific instruments for nanoscale characterization

  • 用大模型+工具接口实现自然语言到仪器指令的转换
  • 在不同样品上达到专家级成像质量,错误指令为零
  • 适合需要精准控制的科研人员快速开展纳米表征

操作原子力显微镜(AFM)需持续专家决策:定义实验目标、转译为仪器指令、评估数据、调节参数并后处理图像。现有自动化多局限于流程片段,依赖硬编码规则或特定任务模型。本文提出一种基于通用大语言模型与模型上下文协议(MCP)的智能体框架,包含三个MCP代理:AFM Messenger将自然语言指令转化为校验后的指令;AFM Pilot通过大模型评估图像质量并动态调参;AFM Doctor诊断图像伪影并执行预批准的透明后处理。由于采用语言模型进行图像评估而非固定指标,该策略可跨样品类型和成像模式通用,无需重新训练。安全执行通过执行前的模糊性检查层保障,基准测试显示该机制使错误指令降至零,优于微调与现成工具模型。实际实验中,AFM Pilot在图像质量、迭代次数和调参时间上与专家无显著差异,验证了此框架在保持人类定义实验意图的前提下,实现安全可靠的科学仪器自主操作。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Operating a scientific instrument such as an atomic force microscope (AFM) requires continuous expert decision-making. A trained user defines the experimental intent, translates it into instrument commands, assesses incoming data, adjusts imaging parameters, and post-processes the final image. Existing automation usually addresses only parts of this workflow through hard-coded routines, task-specific controllers, or trained machine-learning models. Here we present an agentic-AI framework that operates the executable part of the AFM workflow using a general-purpose, tool-augmented large language model connected to instrument functions through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The framework consists of 3 MCP-based agents: AFM Messenger converts natural-language instructions into checked instrument commands; AFM Pilot assesses image quality through a large language model (LLM) and, if necessary, adapts imaging parameters; and AFM Doctor diagnoses image artifacts and applies transparent post-processing from a pre-approved tool set. Because the language model performs image assessment rather than a fixed scalar objective or external optimizer, the same strategy can be applied across sample types and imaging modes without specific retraining. Safe hardware operation is enforced through an ambiguity check layer before execution. Benchmarking against fine-tuned and off-the-shelf tool-using models shows that this guarded execution layer, rather than model capability alone, reduces wrong-command execution to zero. In live experiments on different samples, AFM Pilot matched expert operators in image quality, iteration count, and tuning time, with no significant difference. These results demonstrate a safe route to agentic operation of scientific instruments, where experimental intent remains human-defined while command execution, image-based tuning, and post-processing are delegated to AI agents.

智能代理显微镜自动化实验大模型应用

Thank you to arXiv for use of its open access interoperability. PaperDance 不是 arXiv 官方产品;中文卡片由大模型生成,请以原文为准。