In early 2023, Opentrons launched the Opentrons Flex, the next-generation open-source liquid handling robot. As the sole software designer, I led the design of the Flex's first on-device touchscreen display (ODD), a new surface that fundamentally changed how users interact with our robots day to day.
The ODD enables biologists to complete essential workflows directly on the robot—setup, calibration, protocol management, and execution—while staying tightly integrated with the existing desktop application.
Since launch, the Flex has been adopted by leading research institutions and global life sciences organizations including MIT and Carnegie Mellon. In 2025, MilliporeSigma selected Opentrons Flex as part of its first move into lab automation—an important endorsement from one of the industry's most established global players.
CEO Jon Brennan-Badal has cited the Flex's intuitive user experience as a core differentiator in the product's success.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Launch
Early 2023
Project Considerations
Before Flex, all robot interaction happened through a desktop app positioned beside the robot.
Key decisions I led included:
- Scoping which features were appropriate for a touchscreen used while standing at the robot, while leaving complexity on desktop
- Reducing cognitive load through clear state communication, error prevention, and glanceable UI patterns
- Elevating Opentrons' branding and accessibility compliance through the introduction of a new surface experience
- Partnering with Engineering to build a flexible component system that could scale with future features
- Collaborating with Hardware to align robot state, UI feedback, and physical signals (e.g., synchronized error states between UI and robot lighting)
0%
of runs initiated from ODD since launch
0
features built using the component system post-launch
