The RS 9000 Heater/Shaker Reaction Station can be used within a robotic workstation or as a stand-alone apparatus within the lab. On a robotic platform, heating and shaking cycles can be controlled by external software or as part of a fully automated system, through the RS232/ RS485/ GSIOC ports; for standalone use, there is the additional option of controlling heating and shaking cycles via the user-friendly touchscreen. The touchscreen panel enables the temperature and shaking speeds to be changed using up/down arrows and the actual values are clearly displayed on a high definition LCD display which has an anti-glare coating. The LCD display is cool blue to be visible in both bright and dim lighting conditions, without deleteriously affecting light-sensitive chemicals. The touchscreen has a laminated toughened glass panel that is chemically resistant to most solvents.