Welcome to PROTO* Lab

PROTO* Lab is a digital technology makers community at AU BTECH. The focus of PROTO* is ‘Making Digitalisation’ using protocols, data processes and off-the-shelf products to amplify societal potential, while critically inquiring into its capabilities, concerns and controversies.

As a research lab, it is a pedagogical place, sensitive to reflective technologists seeking to discern tacit knowledge from technology making. As a platform, it gathers international and local networks of technologists, designers, entrepreneurs, artists and security activists for shaping new businesses and value transactions.

The purpose of PROTO* is to facilitate and build novel business models, innovative services and collaborative networks for transitioning society into sustainable enterprises and communities.

PROTO* Lab is a space to…

  • Showcase novel business models and socially innovative services for education, industry, citizenry or civic organizations by designing, building and testing digital prototype exemplars (interactions, value transactions, features, products or services).
  • Conduct research by prototyping and testing with IoT, web services, social media networks and open-source hardware and software.
  • Operationalize research developed in the lab by plugging it/partnering (commercialization/ impact generation) with appropriate external businesses, organizations and services.
  • Build, facilitate or support spin-offs i.e. start-ups based on original research from PROTO*.
  • Attract businesses and organizations to generate fundable collaborations with PROTO*.

Equipment portfolio of PROTO* Lab

  • A variety of components for building IoT prototypes such as sensors, circuit boards and microcontrollers
  • C-Touch enabled large screen display for prototyping and testing screen-based user interfaces 
  • Data enabled Zigbee interactive ambient lighting 
  • Soldering stations
  • 3D printers (Ultimaker and Prusa) with a variety of different printing filaments
  • Sensors such as accelerometers, temperature sensors, magnetometers, proximity sensors, gyroscopes, image sensors, acoustic sensors, light sensors, pressure sensors, gas RFID sensors, humidity sensors, micro-flow sensors

New equipment is added to the lab on a continuous basis.

Join PROTO* Lab if…

You seek support and resources to engage in R&D projects within digitalisation. The facility aims to support prototyping, product development and testing activities by providing a collaborative space for knowledge sharing for business developers, programmers, designers and engineers, as well as technical resources and tools to develop prototypes using 3D printing, IoT, AI, cloud and mobile solutions.

PhD students, researchers and industry partners are welcome to join existing projects or propose potential new ones. We encourage anyone with shared interests to come and visit the lab.