Anthropic gives Claude a way to operate physical machines
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Anthropic opened a preview of its Model Hardware Standard (MHS), designed to let AI agents control programmable machines through shared rules.
The proposed system is intended for laboratories, factories, and workplaces where different instruments must work together without custom software links.
MHS uses software drivers that translate between computer systems and individual machines, allowing equipment with different interfaces to communicate consistently.
Its drivers rely on basic commands for reading measurements or changing settings, giving agents a method for controlling connected equipment.
The system records machine details that might otherwise remain inside manuals or depend on knowledge held by experienced laboratory staff.
Users can enter such information through natural language, after which MHS creates reference material describing capabilities, adjustments and safety restrictions.
Agents can then discover compatible equipment across networks without requiring separate software bridges for every machine they need to operate.
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
The standard supports microscopes, liquid handlers, robotic arms and other equipment that offers some form of programmable interface for agents.
The company claims integration that once required weeks or months could instead take hours or minutes when equipment supports MHS.
According to Anthropic, Claude was tested with physical experiments, including laser alignment supported by camera-based observation during early physical trials.
The model successfully adjusted the laser, checked the image, and repeated the process while assessing each change carefully.
The design also lets agents combine commands from several devices, creating automated sequences for work that might otherwise require coordination.
