  Automated and computerised control of scientific instrumentation is almost
ubiquitous in the modern laboratory. Most instrumentation is controlled over
decades old communication busses or is accessed via proprietary system
libraries. This limits which languages and operating systems can be used to
control instruments, and poses a significant problem when interfacing multiple
instruments into the same experiment. Here we present the OpenFlexure
Microscope software stack as an example of how a scientific instrument can be
controlled using existing, cross-platform, language-independent,
industry-supported standards. We split the control code into client and server
applications interfaced via a web API that conforms to the W3C Web of Things
standard. This enables simple control of the microscope from multiple
languages, provides a modern graphical control interface, and minimises
duplicated code. Network control also makes the software stack more robust,
allows multiple microscopes to be controlled by one computer, and facilitates
sharing of equipment between local or remote users. Using a Web of Things
approach in research laboratories has the potential to solve many of the key
challenges of experiment integration, using technology that is already well
established.
