To facilitate path planning with the robot arm and making the definition of sample positions within sample holders as well as the extension or reconfiguration of the platform with new sample holders easier, sample holder geometry definitions are provided as json files. These definition files include the geometry of the sample holder, the number and arrangement of slots, and what types of containers or samples it can hold (e.g., flasks, centrifuge tubes, etc.). When read in by the backend, the coordinate offsets for finding the individual positions of the sample holder are calculated automatically by the backend based on the orientation of the respective holder on the deck of the platform and the holder geometry and used for path planning with the robot arm. The availability of slots in the holder is also automatically managed by the backend, and "translation" between different coordinate systems of individual hardware components (e.g., the pipetting robot uses a different coordinate system than the robot arm) is automatically taken care of.