No lab access? Print your own laboratory

Students struggling to get lab time in South America have been offered a surprising solution; they can print their own laboratories.

A lack of teachers, as well as budget cuts and breakages has resulted in a significant shortage of lab equipment in many South American schools. Technology company Tekla Labs is now looking to fix this problem by designing and publishing do-it-yourself guides for 3D-printed lab parts.

The company is looking to host the PRINTmyLAB design challenge, which will open the floor to people with ideas on how to design do-it-yourself alternatives, or create novel, useful pieces of lab-ware.

California-based Tekla Labs visited labs in South America and found that many of them lacked the basic supplies that are taken for granted in most modern labs. This means that scientists are often underfunded, lack resources and often have to use makeshift alternatives to prepare their research.

Contributions are a costly solution to this problem, which is why Tekla Labs looked for an alternative. According to members of the team, the 3-D printer could make racks that suit their needs for a few dollars’ worth of plastic. This could revolutionise how under-resourced scientists acquire their much-needed equipment.

Posted by Fiona Griffiths