Opentrons App Software Update: 3.21.0

We just released our next software update! Now you can update your robot while offline, open Jupyter Notebook directly from the app, and more!

Hello there 👋!

We just released our next software update: 3.21.0. This update includes bug fixes and features including:

• Supporting robot updates while offline
• Opening Jupyter Notebook directly from the Robot Advanced Settings
• Checking if an instrument has a tip using Python Protocol API v2.7
• Adding “Removing labware from a deck slot” to the Python Protocol API documentation
• Adding command lines and libraries to the OT-2’s embedded Linux environment

Full information about this update is available on GitHub. The post below is a summary of how these changes may impact your workflow.

Better support for updating your OT-2’s software while offline

When it has internet access, the Opentrons App will now automatically save the latest robot software update (without applying it to your robot until you tell it to). Once the update is downloaded, the app will be able to use that saved update to update your robot’s software even if you don’t have an internet connection available where your robot is. Should you need additional information, please reference these support documents:

• Get Started: Update your OT-2
• Perform a Manual Update

Open Jupyter Notebook directly from to the Robot tab’s Advanced Settings

In the “Advanced Settings” card of the “Robot Settings” page (in the Opentrons app?), there is now a button to open the robot’s Jupyter Notebook in your browser. If your OT-2 is connected via USB, the app will prefer that connection when opening Jupyter.

Should you need additional information, please reference these support documents:

• Running the Robot using Jupyter Notebook

Check if an instrument has a tip through the Python Protocol API

You can now check if your pipette has a tip through the Python Protocol API by upgrading your apiLevel to 2.7.

Remove labware from a deck slot in the Python Protocol API

The ProtocolContext’s deck property allows for a labware to be “removed” from a slot, but this functionality was not properly documented. The documentation for this feature has now been added to the Python Protocol API Reference.

Removing labware from a deck slot is useful when you want functionality similar to the old share=True capability, where multiple labware could be loaded into a single slot. By loading multiple labware into one slot, labware definitions can be used as building blocks for complex labware, and labware that is actually a combination of other labware (like microfluidics blocks) can be used a little more easily.

NOTE: This fix came from customer (and early adopter) Theo Sanderson!

Linux environment additions

We added the below command line utilities and libraries that you and others have frequently requested:

• curl and wget to retrieve website content from the command line
• git to allow better workflows if you are using custom LMS or other helper code on the OT-2
• grep and sl because no command-line environment is complete without them
• screen and tmux for all your persistent session and terminal multiplexing needs
• python bindings for curses so you can write your own curses

If you require any additional information please contact [email protected].