Microlab

A microlab was a handheld portable laboratory used by explorers for quickly analyzing materials in the field, when acquiring a full analysis from another location would take too long. A sample of the material to be examined would be placed in a small tube that was then slid into the device; then, the operator would perform any necessary adjustments to the device to conduct the examination, after which the results would be displayed on a small screen. Microlabs worked well enough to answer most questions, and in some cases, it would provide results that were just as good as a full examination.

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