Why this project ?

The digital scientific tools (with PC data acquisition) available in schools often have a few drawbacks:

- expensive hardware (from 1000 €) and consequently available in limited numbers in classrooms with no real appropriation by the students
- expensive and "black-box like" software  (proprietor software impossible to evolve)
- Windows Operating System is always a requirement (and the need to buy these licences)

In this context the Liberlab project proposes to help to democratise scientific experimentation through the creation and/or use of a personal PC digital lab and thus to encourage original and innovative uses.

The project is not intended to replace the specialised Digital Acquisition Board which can measure very fast phenomenons (in this first stage, Liberlab display and record 500 , 10 bits, measures per second and should allow 1000 later ).

With its open conception Liberlab also aims to be a pedagogical medium to discover electronics and scientific experimentation through the computer and we hope many third party pedagogical projects will emerge.

The heart of the project is based on the progress of microcontrollers. These inexpensive integrated circuits (only a few euros) are very small computers used in cars, DVD players, microwave ovens, etc... Instead of using them in a nomadic way, we combine the processing power of a PC with the interfaces and measuring capability of the microcontroller (digital inputs-outputs, Analogic to Digital Converters).

The Liberlab project is mainly designed for science teachers with their pupils, popular science centres, electronics enthusiasts... It can also be used for robotics, automation, human-machine interface and interactive arts.

Liberlab is an Open and community based project, don't hesitate to participate! You can contact us here or use the forums.