Benefits of Remote Labs

A well-designed remote laboratory can be expected to offer the following benefits: 

Convenience

A remote laboratory can be accessed 24 hours per day, 7 days a week from any Internet connected location, without requiring staff supervision.

Cost efficiency

Due to more efficient sharing of resources, educational institutions can satisfy laboratory demand with less equipment.

Alternatively, expensive and bulky equipment can be shared and utilised more effectively.

Enables Distance education

Courses that traditionally had to be taught on-campus in their entirety may now offer opportunities for distance learning.

Students who work and study part time may also find remote laboratories helpful in balancing their commitments.

Equity

Through the use of automated management systems, all laboratory users can be assigned time limits during busy periods and queued to ensure that everyone has their 'fair share' of time to carry out experiments.

Security

As public access to the laboratory location is not required, remote laboratories are highly immune to wear and tear, theft and vandalism.

Safety

Many experiments can pose fire, electrical, radiation, biological and hazards to personal safety.

Educational institutions may benefit from reduced OH&S compliance costs and reduced insurance premiums.